


Amethyst

by Sandsstill



Series: Amethyst [1]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 15:46:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 54,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16390571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandsstill/pseuds/Sandsstill
Summary: Love can be hell when you fight it every step of the way and are to stubborn to let things happen naturally...





	1. Amethyst

Amethyst

Judy Hopps was growing increasingly more uncomfortable as she made her way through precinct one. The familiar cool of the marble floors that were usually a source of pleasure, along with the massive interior of the District one police station at city center brought no happiness as she walked through the main lobby. From there she took several turns that led through the back of the massive building into what could be called a large cafeteria, though the word really wasn't fancy enough for the massive space or the elegant decorations that had been placed throughout the massive hall. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable being in one of her favorite places in the world, it was why she was here, and what she was currently doing. Being around a lot of people wasn't an issue for her, but it didn't change her wanting to cringe with each step she took knowing what she was about to face. She took a deep breath bowing it out before she stepped into the room and caught all the mammals stopping and giving her a once over, fighting not to groan as whispers started circling the crowd.

Public relations suck. She didn't have a problem being in front of cameras. One little failure in that department taught her rather quickly to think before she opened her mouth. Being around her partner only reinforced it and the nervousness and guilt she had once had getting in front of a camera was different than this. This was…. Massive tables lined the outer walls, each covered in billowing white silk that flowed each time a mammal would walk by as if the wind had breached the walls and reached through to grab the fabric. A large serving table sat the length of one entire wall that held an array of different foods for predators and prey alike, including a significant section dedicated to pastries, deserts and an assortment of wine. Judy thought this was odd given the fact that waiters were openly carry trays filled with glasses of Champaign and briskly handing them to whomever they may happen to pass by.

Judy walked onto the main floor looking for her parents, or anyone she knew for that matter when Chief Bogo walked up to her. She had to think more like 'stomped'. It wasn't that the buffalo actually did stomp, but is size and presence was such an intimidating site it was difficult to see him in any other manner other than imposing. A small smile greeted his steely eyes as he parked himself in front of her and crossed his massive arms. A smile that faltered when he leaned over slightly to regard Judy in a much more direct manner. "Hopps, I understand the new mayor asked you to help orchestrate this little shindig, but this is ¼ of our yearly excess fund, if this does not go well, it will be the last time, no matter how much good publicity there is for the ZPD!"

Judy swallowed before giving a curt 'yes sir' and excusing herself to another area where she felt she could actually take a breath. Once she had composed herself again she made her way to the desert table where a familiar portly tod was serving delicacies from his shop in Bunny Burrow. "Hello Gideon!" The baker turned and stammered through a hello with a genuine country smile as he took in the site of his business partner's daughter. "Well, uh, Judy. You look real nice tonight." A slight blush could be seen in the fox's ears as he tried to compliment the little bunny he had once bullied and later befriended.

Judy let out a sigh. "I am so uncomfortable wearing this. Dressed like this!" she whispered as she gestured to herself.

Gideon nodded in understanding. "Well, it definitely is out of the norm for ya aint it Judy, but ya still look awful nice."

Judy bowed graciously towards the fox before she scanned the room. "Gid- have you seen my mom and dad? I'd really like to hang around with them tonight. This P.R. thing makes me uncomfortable anyway and I could use a little home right now since I haven't seen them in six months."

Gideon chuckled. 'I think I saw em over by where they're playin the music just a little bit ago. But Judy listen, thanks for getting me this bit of business here. Nice to actually have some work outside of Bunny Borrow, might bring me some more customers an I sure preciate it."

Judy giggled as she swatted in a dismissive gesture towards her friend. "You're helping me just as much as I am you Gid, I see my parents over there. I'll try to come back later ok? Good luck tonight Gideon!" The two said their goodbyes as Judy made her way across the room, traversing through the different sizes of mammals and trying to keep an eye locked on her parents until she reached them.

"Judy! Oh look Stu- look at her, isn't she just beautiful tonight?" Bonnie bragged as she turned to embrace her daughter. Stu Hopps turned away from the plate of hor-derves to look back at his wife and daughter after putting a cheese cracker in his mouth. Judy was quickly patting his back as he nearly choked on the morsel. Sputtering a few more times her father looked over her and a heavy smile landed on his face.

"Jude! Look at you. I've never seen you dressed like that before."

Judy blushed before brushing off the compliment in slight aggravation. "It wasn't my idea Dad. The new mayor requested this for the banquet; he thinks that Nick and I will be good P.R. for the project because we are the first fox and bunny, and the first to graduate from the mammal inclusion program. I'm not really comfortable. I'd rather be in my uniform like the other officer's. I think it would have looked better too."

"You look lovely dear, just try to enjoy the party," Bonnie said in a warm voice that made Judy feel more at ease.

Stu Hopps looked around the room and searched through the mammals as best he could over the taller heads. "Where's your partner at anyway Jude?"

Judy sighed and looked at her watch, "He should be here any time, we came from different offices on request from the mayor. They had two different mammals doing our wardrobe. This won't bother him though, he can pull off anything. It's a little unfair how well he seems to go along with everything. But he usually makes things interesting too."

Bonnie laughed, "Well he certainly is a character isn't he? The kits just adored him when you brought him to visit. And he does seem to know how to read and handle a situation. Do you remember? All the kits were afraid of him, by the time you left they had him so worn out he could barely walk he was so tired."

Judy shook her head as she grinned. "I still can't believe he did that."

"Yeah, he's a pretty good fella for a fox." Stu said.

"Dad!" Judy screamed.

Bonnie gave her husband a sideways glance and a disapproving scowl as Judy's face and ears turned a bright pink while she rolled her eyes and smacked her head…..

Nicholas Wilde shoved his paws in his pockets and whistled a nonexistent tune as he trekked the path to the hall within the ZPD. A carefree attitude settled in him as he passed the last corridor and passed through the large mahogany doors. Upon entering he made his way to the table where he had spotted a country fox chatting with several well dressed mammals from within the city. Signature smirk in place he regarded the other Reynard with a twinkle as he leaned into the table. "Hey Gid, how are you?"

Gideon smiled as he handed a large plate to a passing guest before he turned back to his fellow fox. "Officer Wilde. Nice to see ya here!"

Nick grinned as he leaned back from the table and crossed his arms. "I told you last time Gid, the name is Nick, any friend of Carrots is a friend of mine."

Gideon chuckled as he reached over and grabbed a small plate of pastries, handing them to Nick. "Ok Nick, think ya might like these."

The fox examined the little triangles for a moment before popping one into his mouth. Gideon watched as his eyes went a little wide for a second before they closed completely. The fox hummed in contentment before his shoulders fell forward and a large smile crept onto his face.

"Blueberry plumps. I take it ya like em?"

"MMM. Gid- you should get a patent on these things, trust me. I'm coming back here before I leave, but I gotta find Carrots and do this P.R. thing first. Meet the mayor, take pictures all that jazz. Have you seen her?"

"DAD!" The fox jerked his head in the direction he had heard the familiar voice and was already visualizing what funny scenario could have played out at the hands (or mouth) of Stu Hopps that obviously irritated or embarrassed her enough for her to do the same to herself in a room full of the most influential mammals in the city, not to mention fellow ZPD officers. He chuckled as he handed the plate back to Gideon and gave him a small Salute before turning just in time to see an elephant clear the view.

Judy stood with one paw on her on her head, her ears fell back and had turned a bright pink and she was almost slouching in frustration as her father stuttered out an apology for some unknown grievance. All those things were nearly lost on the fox took at the sight of the bunny he spent nearly every day with. She stood in a strapless floor length gown; the fabric swayed and layered in a way that made him think of a toy with a string you would pull and make the object fly away. The dark gray color was such a contrast against her fur that it nearly made her look white.

Soft folds revealed every underlying detail and made the fabric almost appear ghostly. Around her neck was a black choker with a blue diamond stud in the center, lace curving into a v down the front of her neck. The dress fit so snugly that every curve was accentuating her body in a graceful manner in a way that left her ZPD uniform put to shame, causing a shiver to rush up the tods spine. A thin black strap was laced just below her bosom, accentuating curves she generally kept hidden, and matched a small watch wrapped around her wrist. Just as he had gathered himself to a standstill, the little bunny was bombarded by a host of guests with questions.

Her ears stood at attention, she wore a smile that was as fake as the permits he had used in his pawpsickle hustles, and her general stance was attempted at polite as she answered a few questions and nodded her head, but she was obviously uncomfortable. She kept one arm locked in front of her as the other crossed her chest and one paw was clasped around her arm in a grip that had him wondering if she might sever her own circulation. Better go save her, he thought as he rolled his eyes.

Nick made his way through the crowd and walked around to stand behind her before he addressed the group. "Excuse me ladies and gentlemammals, if you don't mind I'd like to steal my partner for a while." He watched as her body seemed to become softer, every trace of anxiety rushing from her as she turned to greet him. A cockeyed grin landed on his face when their eyes locked and she smiled back large enough to show her front teeth in full before her attention was drawn to the rest of him.

Judy fought the urge for her mouth to hang open as she took in the sight of the fox in front of her. She also fought the urge to look more than she needed to because she knew she was. Her eyes grew wide as his voice split the air and a blush crept through her ears.

"I take it you approve Carrots?" he inquired.

She looked over him once again as her eyes grew wide with realization. "They didn't…" she stammered. The fox's amusement was written all over his face as his teeth grew from ear to ear and his cheeks lifted into his eyes. Judy was stunned to see her partner dressed in a black tuxedo with a dark grey vest that matched the dress she wore. A silk black cumber bun ran around his waist that nearly mirrored all her accessories, and atop his jacket lay a single blue rose that matched the one they had pinned next to her ear. The crowd seemed to scatter, leaving Bonnie and Stu standing not far from the pair, both looking a little uncomfortable under the circumstances. Nick and Judy openly grinned at each other before the banter started as usual.

"Look at you Slick. All prim and proper like, never thought I'd see the day. You look nice."

"Of course I do Carrots, did you expect anything less than perfect? The glitter is a nice touch by the way."

Judy furrowed her brows as her ears shot towards the fox and shook her head for a second before reaching her paws to her face. Nick was quick to grab the appendages and stop any further motion. "They put glitter on me? Really? I thought they just used powder!"

Nick just lowered his head a little towards her and looked around the room as if trying to find a missing target. "I'd leave that alone Fluff, there's a certain water buffalo lurking around here with an overly ambitious mayor who will kill me if I let you take it off, and kill you if you do. I'd rather not get trampled tonight, not when I look this good anyway. Besides it matches those Amethyst of yours."

Judy's low growl turned into a genuine snicker as she looked him over with a playful glare. "My eyes are purple Nick, we have had this conversation a million times. Alright Mister Foxy, let's not get too carried away with ourselves."

Nick smirked at her before he cocked an eyebrow, "Amethyst, still not changing my opinion. Ourselves? I seem to be the only one who looked into a mirror before I left the dresser, I know I am beautiful. You on the other hand, should have taken the time to appreciate yourself Carrots."

Judy's ears dropped, and turned a deep red as her mouth fell slightly open. Did he just say I'm beautiful?

"Yes Carrots, I just said you are beautiful." He smirked again.

Nick turned to the two older rabbits who seemed to be a little amused at their daughter's reaction before aiming his request at both parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Hopps, may I?"

Judy overcame the shock that short circuited her brain when she realized her parents had turned back towards the area Gideon Gray was serving in, and that Nick was leading her towards the dance floor. "Oh no," she said halting her steps and pulling back from the fox. "I can't dance Nick, and you said you couldn't dance either!"

Nick scoffed at her "No Fluff, I said I don't dance, not that I can't. There is a big difference."

Judy stood her ground as she explained a few things to her partner. "Nick, I only know how to do the Cotton Burrow Waltz."

He hummed as he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through something. "It's a waltz?"

"Well. No, not exactly, that's just what it's called. It's a tradition in rabbit culture. Parents teach it, or siblings, we all learn it when we are youn-"

"Got it fluff, history lesson later," he said as he pocketed his phone and drug her to the middle of the floor protesting.

"Nick stop! You don't understand. I can't. I mean I don't, you don't understa…."

Nick stopped somewhere in the midst of a scattered crowd and placed his paws on her shoulder.

Judy looked around nervously, glancing at every other mammal she could see, feeling herself begin to shake mildly. "You've never danced anywhere have you?" he asked with a soft smile. She shook her head almost timidly as she averted her eyes from his.

"Carrots, it's just a dance."

"Nick! It's not just a dance! It took me 6 years to learn that! How can you have done it on your phone in just a few minutes? What about your feet? They're bigger than a bucks feet, and your tail?!" she asked in a huff. "It's not ju-"

"Carrots, are you saying I have big feet?" he said with a smirk as he pointed at hers with a quirked brow. "I don't think you have any room to talk little bunny. As for my tail, I'll worry about that, geez stop looking at it will you? Look at me ok? If you can help me be a cop, I can help you have one dance. Trust me. You know if we can pull this off it might get us out of a lot of those snap shots and unhindered questions."

Judy looked around nervously again, until she found herself looking into bright green eyes. He held an air of confidence around him that almost flooded her senses as she felt herself nod her head, knowing her trust was well placed for every reason. She tensed as he wrapped his paw around her waist, bringing up her other paw in his. A gasp left her as he spun her suddenly and she turned to land with a brisk thump into his chest. He laughed as she glared up and crinkled her nose at him. "Relax Carrots, don't count the steps, you know this. Don't pay attention to anyone else. Were just having fun partner."

Judy took a deep breath, shaking off the aggravation from his little joke, and waited for the next song to start as she locked her frame. She closed her eyes and lifted herself until she stood only on her pads and toes. "Anyone can be anything," she whispered to herself.

"That's the spirit Carrots," he whispered back to her. Nick looked down with curiosity, he didn't remember the difference in the feet on the video he had watched. "Carrots, why are you standing on your toes?" he asked with an inquisitive glance towards her feet. Judy smiled as she took another breath.

"It's a bunny thing, can't do this dance any other way, history lesson later Slick…." She said.

Nick snickered, "Alright Fluff, ready?" Judy nodded her head as he pulled her in tighter and blew out another breath and closed her eyes.

"One… two… three…" he counted down. A beat pulsed and motion erupted. Judy felt herself being twirled aimlessly, wrapped in the arms of a fox. Steps became fluid, her body felt weightless, air began to twirl around her as a giddy feeling engulfed her whole body and broke out into an ecstatic smile on her face. The only secure sensation were those of the paws guiding her through each step.

Nicholas Wilde held tightly to a small bunny, his arm wrapped around her waist, one paw holding her other, while she lightly gripped his shoulder with the other. He spun the pair around and watched as her back arched away from him, leaning her full weight into his paw. Her head tilted to each side with the direction of the swing, a beaming smile on her face. Her tiny feet moved on pads and toes, keeping her soles off the floor, placing her closer to his muzzle that he could ever recall as they swayed and twirled into circles where movements felt more like the skips of a happy child than a practiced routine.

Unbeknownst to the fox and bunny, the movements they had made had carried enough momentum to catch the attention of the other dancers, who all seemed to remove themselves from the floor in lou of watching the captivating and curios outcome. Bonnie and Stu Hopps noticed the commotion coming from the area that had caused nearly everyone to gravitate around the dance floor. Gideon Gray left his table to investigate as well, seeing as how no one was anywhere but gathered around the edges of an unseen commotion.

Silence fell on the room, leaving only the romantic strum coursing through the air as the three smaller mammals struggled to make their way to the front and past the larger mammals. Bonnie and Stu squeezed through to see an unbelievable sight. Judy was held in the arms of a fox, spinning and twirling in his embrace when he suddenly let go of one paw. She swung out and twirled around, the fabric of her long dress flowing like the opening petals of a flower, before they folded back in again as she returned to the waiting arms of the fox leading her around on the dance floor. Stu and Bonnie's ears dropped. Stu looked as if the blood had been drained from his head into his feet and his mouth fell open in abject horror, while Bonnie placed one paw over her heart, the other going to her mouth as a sharp gasp escaped.

"Stu- look at her! Look at her!" she exclaimed. Bonnie slapped the back of Stu's head to wake him from his stupor and he blinked at the sight several times. "Stuart- look at your daughters face!"

"Well ull be darned," Gideon muttered from behind the pair. The bygone bully's smile grew as he watched dainty feet prance through and around the other fox. While the fox who held the bunny's curios expression softened and turned into a genuine smile as his eyes half lidded through the motions.

Judy spun around, feeling the breeze from the motion of her dress swirling around her. Nick watched her in awe; the twitching nose that had been present only moments before they started to move had been turned into a grace he rarely saw in her. Confidence flowing through every step she made, and a swelling grew in his chest as he watched her face, watched her fall and twist into his arms, lean into every dip, and trust in every move he made. A bit of a curiosity was that she had kept her eyes closed through most of the dance, as if she didn't need to see as she let him take the lead. A sudden pause in the movements indicated the dance had hit a particular threshold, and when Judy found herself spun out, a light tug on her wrist pulled her back straight into the arms and chest of the fox. She let out a bubble of laughter as she finally opened her eyes and saw gleaming emeralds shining back at her. The fox bore a smile she knew she had never seen before as he turned her body away from himself and raised his paw to her shoulder.

A swift slide had both predator and prey holding the others neck in their paw and they circled each other several times before she spun back into him, he tucked his arms under hers and pulled her into a lift that left her dangling above the floor, her long skirt flowing around one folded knee until the rest spun around the fox in motion. Neither took their eyes of the other as he let one arm go, she spun on her knee back to face him and he lifted her up into another spin that continued several times around his body until a gentle tug pulled her straight into his chest. Both stood frozen, chests rising and falling rapidly as they looked into each other's eyes. Both so captivated by the moment that they had been oblivious to their surroundings. Until a roaring thunder broke free and startled both back to the dance floor, where everyone- it seemed had been watching them.

Chief Augustus Bogo stood against the farthest wall, watching his two smallest officers. The fox held both the bunny's paws wrapped in his arms as he led her off the floor, where he stood in front of her parents, placed a gentle kiss on one paw, gave a polite nod to both and a slight bow towards his partner before excusing himself from the party. He watched as Hopps left for another area, while Wilde took to an exit hall before he was approached by the large moose. "Was that you're idea of good P.R., Mr. Mayor?" he snorted.

Hooves preened a few low antlers as they regarded the large buffalo, who had crossed rippled biceps over his chest in a non chalont manor. "No Chief, it was not planned, I assure you. But you know what they say, no press is bad press."

Bogo stood to his full height, even with the large size of the moose in question he still towered over him by a good foot. He looked down with a ferocity that made the large males fur stand on end. "You and I both know that is about the farthest from the truth as one could get, don't we Mr. Mayor?"

Judy Hopps was trying to calmly make her way through the crowd and out into the lobby restrooms when a light tap on her shoulder pulled her attention. As she turned her eyes grew wide at the sight of the rabbit in front of her. "P Paw! What are you doing here?" she questioned as she bounced a little and wrapped her arms around the older buck.

Dark hazel eyes greeted her as she let go and he smiled warmly at her. "Couldn't miss this, glad I didn't. You were beautiful out there my little Bundle." Judy blushed as the older buck chuckled at her, and he watched with all the concern a grandparent could have for their favorite grandchild as she made her way out into the lobby.

Bonnie Hopps had lost track of her daughter, but suspected she had an idea of where she was going. As she left the main hall she spotted a friendly and familiar face who pointed in the direction Judy had gone. Bonnie smiled and nodded in thanks as she made her way out through the lobby. As she made her way through the restroom doors she was greeted with the site of her daughter leaning against a wall, eyes trained to the ceiling and looking as if she were trying to steady her breathing. "Judy."

Judy's heart jumped at the soothing sound of her mother's voice, as she had already been trying to calm the tirade of emotions that were currently over riding her ability to form coherent thoughts. The sound coupled with the sight of her mother standing in that all too familiar pose with her paws folded together at her waist had her trying to stifle the raspy breaths that were currently catching up to her. An understanding and comforting gaze settled on her mother's face, her muzzle sported a delicate smile, and her head tilted slightly. "You didn't know," she said in a calming voice. The statement inflected the hint of a question, while it also inferred it had already been answered by the one who asked. Bonnie watched as her daughter visibly weakened, her body leaned forward slightly and the breath that she had been struggling to control rushed from her with a hint of her voice laced through it as her eyes began to glaze over.

Judy rushed into the welcoming arms of her mother, burying her face into the crook of her neck as she began to sob. "Mom," she whimpered.

Bonnie held her daughter as she wept, running her paws over her ears and rubbing her back as she held her tightly. "It's ok Bun Bun, everything will be alright," she assured her. In the mind of the matriarchal rabbit a host of concerns brewed. She had not seen her daughter this distraught since she had been told they didn't accept rabbits into the police academy when she was fifteen years old. Of course that had changed when she turned 22 and Mayor Lionheart had initiated the mammal inclusion program, allowing Judy to enter while giving her ample time to study and train for the academy. As determined as she knew her daughter was, she was also somewhat slow on the uptake when it came to her own emotions, and it was apparent to the mother of this ambitious bunny she held, that she had just been struck with them like an oncoming truck.

Bonnie hummed a childhood melody she had always used to comfort her kits as she closed her arms around her daughter tighter and brushed her cheeks over her face and head. She was a little shocked that Judy reciprocated the motion, as she had not scent marked her children, or they her after they had reached a certain age, and Judy had always shied away from a certain amount of affection being the independent little trailblazer she was. But in this moment, she wanted nothing more than to convey all the love and pride she felt for her daughter, and was pleasantly surprised to have it returned. She also hoped it would put her in a calmer place, and give her a sense of comfort…..

Nickolas Wilde had made his way out of Precinct one and had walked to a small park a few blocks from his apartment. His head was throbbing with memories, and his mind was in a heated argument. What was THAT? You idiot, what were you thinking? Too close Wilde, way too close. Now you went and did it. You let her see it, hell -you let every mammal there see it. You're losing it! The fox flopped on a bench, not remotely caring if he would damage the tuxedo that needed to be returned. He let out a heavy sigh, closed his eyes and ran his paw over his muzzle and head. His ears stayed tucked back as he stared blankly at the ground in front of him. "Damn."


	2. The Tell Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things can't be hidden

The Tell Tail

It is bewildering how this city works. Its two pm, there are cars everywhere, shops are bustling, traffic is zooming through. But how can there be so many different mammals doing nothing in the middle of the day? How can there be so many who aren't working, who are just meandering around through shops, sipping coffee, or just strolling along aimlessly? No wonder there are so many parking tickets on days like this. Really, it's understandable why cops have to do parking duty now. Sometimes there just aren't enough officers available to cover everything, and if you screw up, you will definitely get parking duty. Today however it's just meeting the status quo. I am sooo bored. At least Nick is here to keep me company. He's awfully funny looking in that little orange vest and cap. Bet he won't make fun of me anymore.

I guess I better catch up with him so we can head back towards the precinct. He does look pretty good in that uniform. Did you just say that to yourself? Crap, I did. Oh well, it's a pretty day, nice for the walk. He sure does take care of that uniform. He must iron that thing every night. Always such crisp lines and it fits him well. I'm so proud of him. Really makes him stand out. That blue against his fur is really striking. I can see his reflection in the window even though he's in front of me. He's got those glasses on again. Always hiding his eyes. But he's smiling. Must be in a good mood. Why does he walk like that? Maybe it's a fox thing. No. Gideon doesn't walk like that. Does he? Maybe I should pay more attention when I'm home again. Nick always has this sway, almost leans forward a little bit when he walks. I don't think Gideon does that. Maybe it's a city fox thing?

It sort of makes his butt stick out a little, and his hips have a little bit of a tick to them. Don't look- don't look. Tail. Too late. Wait, why does his tail- STOP THAT! Stop looking right now!

Judy froze mid stride and had to fight the urge to physically slap her own face as she gave a quick shake of her head against her own thoughts, only for the fox in front of her to turn quickly and be a breath away from her face grinning from ear to ear.

"Careful there Carrots."

Judy looked at him curiously before she scrunched her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

The fox tipped his glasses down as he leaned lower and looked at her with those bright green eyes; internally she flinched before he responded. "You know what they say about curiosity right?"

"Uhm, no."

He chuckled as he stood up and cupped his paws behind his back. "Curiosity killed the cat."

She shook her head in confusion. "I'm not a cat!"

He simple clucked his tongue at her before giving her a sultry grin as he raised his eyebrows back at her.

"It still might kill you Carrots." He said as his smile split from ear to ear and he turned to walk ahead again.

Oh crap, he could see me in the reflection of the window. How did he know what I was- never mind. Take one from his book and turn this around fast Judy.

She quickly shook off the deep blush that was running from her ears all the way into her nose as she rushed to catch up to him.

"Why does your tail move like that?"

He stopped a few steps from the doors to the entrance to precinct one and made a curios face as he turned to look at his tail. "Like what?"

"Why does it sway like that? I've never seen a fox tail move like that, or any wolfs tails for that matter. Looks more like the way a cat's would move. Why does yours do that?"

She was fairly certain that the motion of him turning himself in a circle trying to get a better look at his own tail was intentional, but still giggled at the sight.

"Don't know what you're talking about Carrots. It sort of has a mind of its own and I can't really see it most of the time." An impish grin crossed his muzzle. "By the way, exactly how many times do you watch my tail, or other canidae tails for that matter?"

He took off his shades and placed them in his breast pocket as he smiled openly at her dropping her ears and turning a brighter shade of red as she chewed one of her claw nails.

"Come on Nick! Is it a fox secret or something? I'm just trying to understand you better for carrots sake," she stammered at him.

He crossed his arms in front of her, looked at her sternly for a moment before he became solemn.

"Carrots, I have to ask you something. Is there a Carrot worship thing in bunny culture? Seriously, I have heard you say Holy carrots, Oh my carrots, heavens to carrots, what the carrot..." he ticked off on his fingers, "Which I can only assume means-"

"DON'T SAY IT!" she shouted at him while waving her paws in front of his muzzle.

"I guess that's your way of cussing then?" he laughed out.

"Well it's better than saying those other words, isn't it?"

"I suppose so Carrots, I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he reached for the precinct door.

"Wait, what're you doing?"

"Carrots, did you forget that I traded a shift with Mc'Horn and am working a double today?"

"Oh, I guess I did, can you clock me out? Hand in the tickets for me. I thought we were doing movies tonight so maybe I'll try to catch my brother instead. If I hurry I might be able to grab him at the station."

"Sure thing Fluff."

Judy hopped down the first few steps as he pulled the door open. She suddenly frowned and turned back around.

"Hey Nick," she shouted towards him as he put one foot in front of the door and looked back towards her.

"Yea?"

"I like your tail!"

Her face lit up and her smile broadened as his tail swayed in an almost snakelike manner behind him. She hopped up and fist bumped the air a few times hollering in pure delight while pointing her finger at him. "I knew it! Your tail only does that when you know I'm looking at it! See you tomorrow Nick!"

He watched her as she hopped out of sight, a deep scowl etched into his face as he grabbed the end of the fluffy appendage, looked at it as it flicked agitatedly several times in his paw and growled... "You Traitor."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chase begins

Duck and Run

Judy poked her head around the side of the partition. Making sure no one was looking as she slipped into Wolford's cubical. "Hopps?" he asked with a tipped brow.

She stood nervously bouncing one knee before she took a breath and swallowed her pride. "Uhm, you know a lot about body language and other species right?"

The gray wolf quirked a brow before a smile crawled up one side of his lips and Judy flushed seeing his tail wagging behind his chair. "You still trying to get him to say yes?"

"Come on Wolford. Does he like me or not?"

The wolf rolled his eyes to the ceiling, trying not to snicker as Judy bit her lip bouncing where she stood. "A little personal don't you think?" When her ears dropped and the look of disappointment crested her face he leaned forward over his chair and folded his paws. "Yes, he does, but you already knew that so why ask?"

Wolford thought he might have to clap both paws over his ears for a moment when it seemed like she might pull a Clawhauser, but then bit it back as she dropped her ears nervously clutching one while she pulled her lips into her mouth. "So how do I get him?"

Wolford raised both brows snickering as she turned red. "Get him?"

"I've done everything I can think of! He always has this stupid smirk on his face and tells me I'm cute, like he doesn't know what that really means to a rabbit from someone they are interested in. But he always walks away snickering like it is a joke! I don't think he knows I'm serious. I've been trying for weeks! How do I make him see I'm not kidding!?"

"Calm down Hopps. If I tell you anything about canines and this gets out I could get into some serious trouble. That's not to mention the fact that if the chief finds out you two are potentially or are….involved it's not going to look good on me so you better keep this under wraps." The wolf grinned as he leaned forward, Judy's ears shot up as he started whispering in her ear. The confused look on her face morphed into surprise, followed by glee as she leaned away to look at the large canine in front of her.

"Seriously? That's all I have to do?"

"Can you?" he asked as she grinned nodding her head. "Trust me Hopps, if that doesn't do it, nothing will. Just make sure you do it at the end of a shift because if he reacts like I think he will you don't want a bunch of mammals around to see it happen."

Judy bounced up and Wolford almost yelped when she grabbed him around the neck in a hug before she shot from the room leaving him chuckling as she bound out of the precinct. He stood there looking over the wall into the main lobby as Nick left the locker room and gave the fox a grin that had him tilting his head to one side before he walked to his little 'office'. "Hey Fort, have you seen Carrots?"

"Oh you just missed her, she was in a hurry to get home and left a minute ago. She said there was something she needed to do."

"Ah," Nick said as he noted the day. "Probably expecting her parents to call again. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave the wolf a lazy wave before making his way back to the parking lot and climbing into his car.

Wolford shook his head after the door closed behind Nick, "Stubborn fox."….

"Mom?" Judy asked as she bounced in her chair. "I need some help." Bonnie listened to her daughter tilting her head as Stu stood beside her letting his eyes go wide when she finally stopped talking.

"You serious Bunny doe?" Stu asked with a cringe as Judy nodded smiling. Bonnie gave him a bit of a scolding grin as he deflated and tipped his head. "If that's what you want I don't see why not. I'll get the book Bon. Jude, just… be careful?" Judy bit her lip grinning as she picked up a pen and started writing after her father returned and Bonnie started relaying what she needed. Bonnie hung up as P- Paw shook his head and Stu sighed.

"You know how she gets when she really wants something. I almost feel sorry for that poor fox." Bonnie giggled as Stu shook his head grinning.

Judy hung up after sending lots of love and jumped from her seat before rushing to the grocery store. She knew she was going to be up half the night as she made her way to the communal room in the apartment building but was humming and bouncing around as she went to work….

The next day had been one of those boring taunts that every officer dreaded. Not much happening, minimal work and the threat of falling eyelids kept Nick nodding off in the seat. Judy giggling at him as his head fell forward snapped him to and he shrugged as he sat up in the seat yawning. "Nick….. Nick….. Nick!" She watched as the fox visibly jumped from the window he had been staring from half blindly, obviously lost in his own thoughts as she had tried to coax him into a conversation for almost half an hour with no response. He turned to her with that signature smirk written all over his face. "Yeah Carrots," he said as his smile softened and he leaned back further into his seat. "What's wrong Nick?

He nearly jerked away when she put her paw on his arm. So familiar and warm. It reminded him of the first time she had done it when he had recounted the story of his childhood, at that time he had pulled away. But now he knew it would only make her suspicious, and if he had tried to remove her paw, it would likely hurt her feelings, so he sat there, and did nothing. Don't let her get to you. He let out a long breath, and put on the hustle. "Nothing Carrots just didn't sleep well last night. Kept dreaming about getting chased around Tundra Town by giant polar bears and a crazy little rabbit," he replied with a sharp grin and raised his brows up and down a few times for effect as he slid his shades over his eyes.

She puffed her cheeks out in an exaggerated annoyance before she rolled her eyes, and then looked at him with an intensity he thought might set his fur on fire. She cocked an eyebrow at him before she smiled. "Har Har," she whispered, "Seriously Nick, we're partners. If there is something bothering you, you know I'll be here for you, right? You can talk to me about anything." Her eyes sparkled with concern and her voice was full of worry, but he couldn't help the barking laughter that escaped his muzzle as he thought about actually telling her the truth. He placed one paw over the top of hers as he fought to contain himself. "Gods Fluff! Do you have to make everything so serious? I'm just tired, that's all!" She pursed her lips at him trying to hide a smile, and he grinned through the shiver that raced through his skin as her tiny claws raked through his fur and brushed against bare flesh when she withdrew her paw.

"Dumb fox."

"Dumber bunny."

"Pfft, you realize that's not even a word right?" She chuckled as she started the car and tried to muffle the sound with her other paw. He shimmied his shoulders back and forth swaying his head the opposite direction before he tilted it towards her as he lowered his glasses to the front of his nose. "It is now Fluff! I just added it to the dictionary of Officer Nicholas P. Wilde, genius extraordinaire!" he said as he made a grand gesture in front of himself.

"Well, at least I have my partner baaaaaaaack!" A sudden grinding of metal on metal was the only sound that was heard as the car jolted sharply to the left, throwing both Nick and Judy forward only to be yanked another direction as the vehicle tilted to the side. The rubber of the back tire slammed into the curb tilting the cruiser further and the fox reached over and grabbed the rabbit pulling her to his side of the car, wrapping her head and ears under his chin after he unfastened her seat belt and snatched her into his lap. A sudden clip of the top of the passing car caught the passenger side mirror and ripped it from the door sending the car sharply back the opposite direction where metal ground in protest as the car lurched back to its wheels and rocked in sync with the whining axel.

The fox's head was knocked into the door between the seat belt attachment and the window as the car slammed back to the ground. Tiny claws dug in through the fabric of the sleeves on his shirt and she squeaked as the car finally stopped swaying. Heavy panting was all that filled their ears for a few seconds before both shouted "Are you Okay?" He released his grip around her when she pulled away to look at him as his paws came to rest on her shoulders and she gasped.

"Nick, you're bleeding!" The shock in her voice caused his ears to pin back and his paw went to brush over his right brow, coming away covered in blood as a throb started to penetrate his head.

"Oh it's nothing Fluff, just a scratch." Both heads whipped to the sound of screeching rubber when the offending vehicle tried to turn the corner too fast a few blocks ahead of them. Her brow creased into what could only be described as a predatory rage and the fox almost flinched when she literally growled towards the prey she had caught sight of.

"Hurt my partner, and wreck my cruiser," she sneered as she flipped herself over his lap and into her own seat "I'll get you, you slimy son of a-"

"Carrots!" he screamed as she threw the car into drive, "Has anyone ever told you that you are reeeeally cute when you're angry?" She glanced over to see he had an obvious amusement at the situation with the smirk on his face turning to a genuine smile as she grit her teeth in annoyance.

"Don't call me cute," she said in a flat tone. He chuckled at her and she was momentarily stunned when his paw reached across her lap. "You know you get things done better when you're really angry right Fluff?" he said as he pulled her seatbelt over and clicked it into place just as she reached over and flipped on the sirens.

"Sly Fox."

"Yes, yes I am."

Just as he had righted himself in the seat he was thrown back to the left when she peeled around a corner in pursuit. The car half spun, then slid as the wheels of the passenger side left the asphalt as if trying to escape the burning rubber he could now smell assaulting his nose. His elbow hit the middle of the seat when she gave the wheel a sharp yank to the right, forcing the car back to the ground and causing his arm to slide out from under him, which left his head to land with a soft thump into her lap. The desperate thought of trying to right himself was thrown out the window as she stomped the petal again and the car lunged forward with enough force to cause his head to smack into the soft fabric and flesh of her belly as he dug his claws into the seat to try and avoid any further motion. He groaned and looked up at her with wide eyes only to be momentarily smitten by the fact that she had taken the time to glance down at him with a smirk that almost made him question if she was feeling satisfaction at having his head rolling around in her lap.

Clearing his throat softly he lifted himself back into his own seat and straightened his tie. "Oooo Kaaay- Remind me never to make you angry agaaaaa…..!" One paw firmly clutched the seat while the other went to brace the 'oh shit' handle above the door, and his feet planted firmly and pushed into the floorboard as if he might somehow reach the break petal from the wrong side of the car. He openly fought the desire to clamp both eyes shut as she weaved in and out of traffic in a way that made him foolishly think of an old video game where a snake was inching its way through a maze trying to avoid getting its tail caught…..With that image came another of a random mammal's skull and bones after having hit a wall. "Carrots! I know you want to catch this guy but it's not going to do any good if we end up as a paint smear on the highway! You can't avenge me if we are dead!"

"Oh ho, and avenge you I shall my shifty fox," she cooed as she whipped around another car and closed the distance further. "Call it in slick!"

Reaching forward Nick pulled the radio from its handle and clicked the button."Dispatch, unit 1017 in pursuit, hot, west bound on Tredmore and Tujunda….dispatch…" the fox ran one paw over the top of his eyes and down his muzzle before he spoke again with a flat face. "Clawhauser- swallow the damn doughnut and respond."

A crack over the com indicated the mic was open before a familiar hum was heard. "Mmph, unit 1017, back up deployed (slurp, smack, chomp), please advise on vehicle." Rolling his eyes he turned to face the fast approaching rear end. "Dispatch, purple Z-200, license…. tango, delta, alpha, Kilo, Romeo, whisky." The fox's ears tipped back in aggravation as the mic opened again with heavy slobbering sounds, (he could literally see the large cat licking his fingers in his own mind).

"Unit 1017, back up ETA 4 minutes."

Uuugh, Thanks Clawhauser. "Copy."

Placing the mic back into its holster he leaned back into the seat, folded his arms and cocked an eyebrow in mock annoyance towards Judy as she giggled at the display of his irritation with the large cheetah. "Shifty huh? I wonder what that says about the bunny who chose this shifty lowlife to be her partner?" he grinned as he scratched the bottom of his chin in thought.

Her ears lowered and her nose scrunched with a playful smile as she tilted her head "Says I have really good…..taste?" she trailed off, as a curious expression covered her face and her eyebrows rose as her mouth fell slightly open. He turned to peer out the front windshield to see the vehicle had turned on its right blinker and both cars slowed as they shifted lanes. Both Officers looked at each other slightly confused as they rolled to a stop behind the spots car. "What kind of mammal buys a car like that, has it painted that color and doesn't bother getting it licensed or tagged?"

She looked at the car and back to him, then at the car again before he rose in his seat and pointed one claw at the vehicle. "No stickers Fluff, you can get tags like that anywhere, but they're just for show." Unfastening her seat belt all she did was reply with an agreeable hum before she reached over and tugged the handle of the door causing a pop that had the fox grabbing her wrist. "Judy, this isn't right, we should wait for back up. They'll be here in less than three minutes." As she lowered her paw he let go to see her place it firmly on her tranq gun and she nodded towards his. With a heavy sigh he removed his own weapon and opened the door. Both proceeded towards the vehicle slowly with weapons drawn and pointed towards the driver's seat. Heavily tinted windows prevented a clear view as Judy proceeded towards the driver's door. "ZPD, turn off the ignition and come out with your hands up!"

The engine died and a clicking sound was heard as Nick looked through the back window, trying to make out anything past the spoiler and dark glass. He stepped to the side behind Judy and took several long strides so that he ended up in front of her, facing the driver's side door with his weapon drawn and pointed towards the window. Click click click. Judy had tightened her grip on her weapon and stepped forward with a noticeable grimace on her face before the fox held up a paw in protest. "Sir, please roll down your window and place your paws on the wheel until we can open your door," he commanded as he fought the urge to roll his eyes. Dark blue streaks mixed with purple and gleaming silver ran the length of the driver's side, a noticeable divot in the door and a visible indentation rested just above the driver's window where it had torn the mirror off their cruiser. The sound of whirring gears thickened the air as the dark glass lowered, and both officers tensed when it came to a stop. Judy watched as Nick's face contorted, his brow lowered and he tilted his head to the side as if he were trying to put together some kind of puzzle with his eyes.

"Nick?"

As she started to step closer she saw him tilt his head back the other direction and squint as if it might change the view he currently held. "Sir?" he asked as he took another step towards the window and extended his free paw. He had one claw held out cautiously as he seemed to poke the driver and quickly yanked his paw back. In a flash there was a bang and both officers jumped back in shock, each firing a dart into the car. She watched as he holstered his weapon and followed suite when he placed one paw on his hip and scratched the side of his head. "What the hell?" he muttered as she made her way to his side to examine his view. As she passed the door there was no one in the seat, or in the passenger side. Questions started forming and confusion came in abundance as she tried to understand exactly what had just taken place. In the seat lye tattered pieces of plastic and latex covered in a soft down that now floated through the interior of the car.

She placed both paws on her hips and tilted her head. "A balloon? Who was driving?"

He scanned the surrounding buildings before stepping towards the car and tugging on the handle. A click indicated it was unlatched before he curled his fingers around the top and braced his other paw around the window opening. A sharp yank popped the door open. "Someone must have a remote for it somewhere," he said as he stepped back from the open door scanning the interior. A gray blur rushed past him to the inner panel before he could grab her.

"Look at this Nick!"

He rushed in behind her clutching her shoulders as she leaned forward. "Judy! Do you always have to be so 'Gung –Ho' about everything?!" he exclaimed as he scanned the surrounding area again.

"Oh don't be silly, the engine isn't even on."A loud ping drew his attention to where she had plucked a thick wire directly in front of her. A wire he noticed was attached to a large spring that was counter weighted against the opposite door, held in place with a box covered in grate metal with blinking lights. He barely had time to gasp as he wrapped one arm around her when there was a loud PING.

The door sprang towards them in a blinding speed that rushed the air around them. Dragging her towards him pulling them both away from the car as the engine roared to life again the door slammed and it took off like a revved machine on a track. After jumping back into their cruiser and chasing it for twenty minutes Judy was curling her brow as Nick shook his head. He knew this city like the back of his paw and they had still lost sight of the vehicle. When he leaned back sighing after radioing in she leaned over watching his ears tip back after she had pulled to the station. "Don't worry about it Slick, I think I have something that will cheer you up. Just meet me back at the doors before you leave Ok?"

Nick shuffled from the car and after a quick shower and changing into street clothes met Judy back at the doors. The bunny was grinning ear to ear as she handed him a large plate that had his nose wiggling when he closed his eyes. "Good grief Carrots." He groaned as he started stuffing warm cobbler into his maw. "You warmed it up and everything."

Wolford and Snarlov stuck their heads over their partition wall. "You think it'll work?"

"It needs to work. If those two don't get together we may have to take things into our own paws."

Judy watched him giggling as he stuck the last of it in his mouth and licked his fingers humming. "Tell Gideon he really needs to start a shop here in Zootopia. I'll send a lot of business his way."

"Oh it's not from Gideon. I made it. For you."

Nick almost choked as his eyes went wide. She cooked-she cooked something for me. Does she know foxes don't share their food unless they are….Oh Gods I have to leave now!

Judy tried to pat him on the back as he started coughing and shook his head as he excused himself rushing past the two wolves who both lifted their brows as their nostrils flared. The purpled eyed doe stood there confused with a plate in her paw before she sat it on Clawhauser's desk and clenched both fists as she stuck them on her hips thumping one foot on the floor rapidly as she growled."What was that?"she asked the two wolves as they snickered seeing him rush out the door.

"Trust me Hopps," Wolford said and Snarlov chuckled. "You got him, looks like he may have some commitment issues you're going to have to break through."

"Grrrrr, I'm gong to get My fox!"

"At this point, I think you might need a little help," Wolford smirked as him and Snarlov chuckled….

Nick ran until he found the familiar sight that sat in an alley. The heavy door swung open as he jumped into the back and whined as Finnick nearly clocked him with his bat.

"HELP ME!" Nick begged.

Finnick turned rolling his eyes. "What the hell's the big deal pup? So she's got a thing for you, obviously you got a thing for her too." The smaller fox cackled watching Nick digging at his fur and trying not to roll around on the floor in the back of the inside of the van.

"She's gonna kill me! She made me homemade blueberry crumble! Finnick! This isn't funny!"

"All right - damn pup." He shook his head as he hopped over the front of the seat pulling open the glove box. "Ya know when your mamma asked me to keep an eye on you after you started getting out of paw I didn't think I was gonna end up bein' your damn Daddy." He looked over the bottle before tossing them back to the flustered red fox laughing as he tore the bottle open and digging through to get one of the pills out. "Just take one ya dumbass. It'll take an hour to work and you'll have to go to the clinic and get a refill on your own. Take one every morning and it should keep it under wraps." Finnick snickered as Nick gulped the thing down still panting and digging at his fur as he slumped into the sidewall.

"What do I do? There is no way she knew what she was doing when she gave me that thing."

"Oh I can tell you what you should do, but you ain't smart enough to listen so there ain't no point." Nick growled at him as he scratched his neck with both paws. "What? You won't even let her touch you and she still put your sorry ass in heat. I could smell you before you ever got to this block. Just didn't know it was you. It aint just a physical thing Nick and you know it. Don't give me that look pup. And quit sayin' it's because she's a rabbit. That ain't got nothing to do with it. Whatever it is that's holding you back it's in your own damn head."

"I need to go talk to my mother about this."

"You need somethin' or someone stupid, and it aint your mother pup."

"Gee thanks Finn, that bit of advice solves all my problems." Nick groused as he jumped from the back of the van and slammed the door as the smaller fox kept snickering. He sighed as he walked around the corner and ran right into the purple eyed doe. "J-Judy, uhm what are you doing here?" Nick asked as he backed into the building he was standing in front of.

Judy tilted her head to one side and narrowed her eyes. "Is there something wrong with you?"

"No, why he asked as he tensed his shoulders.

"Because I'm walking home and I go this way every day. You…don't."

"Oh, I just stopped to see Finn." Nick straightened his posture and recollected his 'cool' leaning over smirking at her as she raised a brow. "So where did you really get that crumble at Carrots. I know you can't cook."

Judy leaned closer to him with a devious smile as she rocked on her heels. "I did make it. It took me half the night because I burnt the first few I tried to make for you."

Nick blanched and Judy shot back cupping her paws over her face as she tried to keep herself from falling over "Oftt!" she caught herself laughing but when she turned around the fox that had been in front of her was gone. "UGHHGHGH! Carrot sticks!" Judy thumped her foot to the ground in frustration looking around still not seeing him and walked away smiling still rubbing her cheek.

Nick had rushed around the corner panting and clutching his chest as he ducked into the shadows. "What did I just do!?" I LICKED HER! I LICKED HER FACE! …..O.M. GO- stop thinking like Clawhauser!...


	4. Flip Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiding from the truth

Flip Side

Bogo sat in his chair looking over the reports from the damaged cruiser and sighed as he looked back at his two smallest officers. He almost narrowed his eyes seeing the way they were sitting. The fox had shifted himself into the seat they shared but there was a noticeable difference in the way he was positioned. Almost as if he were afraid of the rabbit sitting next to him. His ears were ticking and the rabbit was just sitting there trying not to bounce in her seat from being nervous. Maybe they think I'm going to chew them for this? Wasn't really their fault. He's got a nice shiner from it too. Bogo dropped the file on the desk, it was already the end of the day and the two had gotten their paper work caught up after the cruiser had been sent for repairs.

"Any leads on the car?" Both officers shook their heads and he tipped a brow at the fox who said nothing. It was an unusual sight - or lack of sound as he usually had some snarky bite on his tongue about anything and everything going on around him, especially if it was something he could be downright sarcastic about. That coupled with the fact that Bogo couldn't quite put his finger on what was off about how he was sitting led to a heavy breath as he shook his head. "You'll be on parking duty until we get your cruiser back. I don't know how long it will take, but I may be able to get you some foot patrol if you're interested." Both silently nodded their heads and Bogo dismissed them, walking them to the door and watching them leave. The bull stuck his head out of his office as they made their way down the hall and narrowed his eyes still trying to figure out what was going on as Judy stopped and turned in front of Nick.

"Let me see." She yanked him down by his tie and he rolled his eyes smirking when they finally landed on her again.

"Geez Carrots, you're worse than my mother. It hasn't gotten, and won't get any worse than it was this morning or the other fifty times you have insisted on looking at it today."

"Has you're mother seen it? It wasn't black like this when you went home yesterday or when I saw you last night. You said it was just a scratch!"

"Carrots. No my mother has not seen it. It is just a scratch and black eyes aren't that big a deal, stop fussing already! You've been smothering me all day!"

"I'll leave you alone about it if you let your mother look at it."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes! Mothers can always tell if it's worse than it looks."

"Judy, you don't even know my mother."

"I know she raised you, so she has to be a good one."

Bogo grinned as he slipped back into his office. That's' what's wrong with him. She won't leave him alone about getting injured. Overly protective partner. No wonder he wants to get away from her. I hope she drives him as crazy as he drives me!

Nick stood up holding his face firm as he shook his head. Gods does she ever say anything that doesn't just… you are letting her get to you! "Fine, I'll go see my mother tonight. Would you quit that! You've had your paws on me all day!" He tapped her paws away and she frowned at him playfully as he rolled his eyes.

"Promise?"

"Yes Carrots-cross my heart and hope to die-blah blah blah."

Wolford and Snarlov both glanced at each other as Judy watched Nick disappearing into the locker room to change for the night. The purple eyed doe deflated and her smile faltered as she went for the females locker room dragging her feet with droopy ears. Wolford shook his head frowning as Snarlov scowled. "She's giving up. Idiots…they are both idiots."

"Yeah, we're going to have to do something or this is just going to get worse."

"You got something in mind?" Snarlov asked and chuckled as Wolford bounced his brow a few times.

"I need a few recruits first."…

Nick poked his head out of the locker room and after seeing the coast was clear made a mad dash to the exit. He made a promise and he was going to keep it, but at the same time was dreading seeing his mother even though he knew he needed to talk to her. After leaving his car at his own apartment and taking the bus as nothing more than a distraction Nick found himself at her door, scratching his neck and arms before huffing a breath and ringing the bell.

Rose answered the door, lifting a brow looking over at her son before her nose crinkled and eyes went wide. "Just don't Mom."

"Who is it?"

Nick deadpanned her as she bit her lip "It the bunny isn't it?" Rose sat down trying to contain her giggling after she handed Nick a cup of coffee as she watched him scratching his neck again. "Just tell her Nicky."

Nick sighed. "How? I don't know anything about how rabbits do things and she doesn't know anything about foxes. What am I supposed to do? Go up and say, hey Judy could you just stop being who you are because you know you're making me -I'm uh- like this," he motioned to himself. Nick narrowed his eyes on her with one twitching as his lips trembled and ears flicked back. "She's just being who she is Mom, she doesn't know what she's doing!"

His mother giggled as she covered her mouth. "I'm sorry Sweety. I just haven't seen you like this since you were in high school and even then it wasn't this bad." She tipped a brow at him and sipped her own coffee as he sighed again while she tried to keep the bubbling in her chest from exploding into laughter. "You know I'm not getting any younger and I'd really love to see some grand kits before I get to old to enjoy them."

"MOTHER!"

"She's cute and look at you now! I'm just saying!" Nick sat there with his jaw hanging open for a minute before shaking his head. "You know I love you and I just want you to be happy Nicky." The vixen almost felt bad when he left but picked up her phone giggling. "Finny I have to know. What's the deal with the little bunny who changed my sons life?"

"Hey lil' mamma. He really came and talked to you about it?"

Rose giggled into the phone as Finnick leaned back in his seat puffing on a cigar. "Is it just him?"

"Naw, it aint one sided if that's what you want to know. I just got a call from a few of his friends. Seems they got some plans of their own to get this kicked off cause she's losing heart. Guess she's been trying to get his attention for a while."

"OOOH! Tell me what they are doing and if can I help?!"

Finnick barked out a laugh sticking his feet on his steering wheel as he started explaining things…..


	5. In Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Push

In Play

Judy had come in early just like she always did to get everything ready for the day. Being an early riser from a farm was almost a prerequisite for rabbits, and killing time in the mornings finding things to do had almost become a chore. So she often found herself at the precinct early, meandering around the offices, picking up little messes that were overlooked and greeting the last shift as they left before organizing everything for the day for the somewhat- disheveled Nick Wilde to be able to function at work. It was almost odd the way he was so picky about his uniform and the way his tie was adjusted on his everyday shirts to look at his desk and find he was a bit of a slob. Judy giggled as she set to straightening out his desk. The thought of him coming in grousing about her messing up his stuff again making her roll her eyes as she flopped in her chair. He swore up and down that no matter what it looked like he knew right where everything was, but at the same time he never really complained about her organizing his paperwork or stationary around his desk.

The giggles faltered as she thought about the events of the last day and the small smile on her face slipped when she remembered him getting rather snippy with her for the first time since their little encounter at the press conference. Maybe she had fussed over him to much about his black eye. But it looked awful. It had swollen nearly shut and was several colors of dark that showed through his red fur. The stubborn fox had refused to put any ice on it or let her tend the cut over his eyebrow and by the end of the day before Bogo had called them into his office he actually yelled at her. Nick had cringed as her lip wobbled and Judy fought not to cry at work. The fox felt so bad that he let her hug him for the first time in months. But by the time they had gotten out of Bogo's office he was pushing her paws away again and she sighed as she let her head rest over her arms on the desk. If he doesn't even want me helping him or taking care of him as a friend I guess he isn't interested in anything else either.

"Hopps," Judy shot up in her chair as Wolford stood at the door, her ears springing in shock as the wolf looked her over fighting not to curl his lip at her state. Wilde is right, bunnies are so emotional.

"Hey Wolford." Judy gave him a small smile as he leaned over the little wall that led into her and Nick's office.

"Giving up so soon?"

"Soon?" she asked as she frowned. "I've been trying for weeks Wolford, We've worked together for a year! I Tried for almost a month and you said if that didn't work nothing would. It didn't work. I bumped into him the other night and he ran from me! Twice! I tried to catch him before he left to see his mother and he took off like someone put a fire under him! He's not interested."

Wolford fought not to roll his eyes and shake his head as he held her frowning face. "Well, since your guys patrol car is busted up and that new multi mall is opening over in the Rainforest District we had to rearrange some things so you two could be over there today. You can tell Wilde when he gets here. You'll be taking the eastern boys station car."

Judy guffawed at him as he left hiding his snickering. Nick was going to be furious. He hates that car! "Wait Wolford!" She caught him in the hallway and he turned biting his tongue as he raised both brows. "Isn't there anybody else who can take this today? Nick would rather be doing paper work than be in that thing and I'd rather have parking duty that be stuck in that car with him. You know he hates that thing more than what he calls the three wheeled joke mobile! It's not even a police issued vehicle! It's used by the security guards and Nick says its…"

"Sorry Hopps, it's all there is to get you two over there without someone taking off from another shift to drive and the shuttle buses aren't going to be enough to get you around there with all the mammals that are showing up for the grand opening. You'll have to tell him to tuff it out." Judy scrunched her muzzle in horror as Wolford disappeared and made her way to the front desk talking to Clawhauser as she picked up the keys. She had just enough time to go get Nick a coffee before he would show up. Maybe greeting him outside before he caught sight of their assignment for the day and giving him what he considered life's elixir would keep him from wanting to tear the vehicle apart before he actually laid eyes on it again.

Wolford ducked around the corner, watching as Judy took the keys cringing before she disappeared out the door. He ticked his head over to Snarlov and watched as the wolf picked up his phone chuckling as he dialed the number. "Yo, is it in motion?" Finnick sat up grinning ear to ear as he yawned and brushed off the last of the sleep. He still couldn't believe he was up this early, now he had a call to make after hanging up… "Hey lil Mama, you good for this?"

Rose giggled as she slipped her shoes on and picked up her purse. "Where are we meeting at again? Did you stop by there last night and take care of everything?" the vixen asked as she bit her lip.

"Oh yea, I got it done. She's gonna be waiting for him and the wolves already said they had some others meeting us there to get this started. Timings gonna have to be pretty close to nail it, but I think they can pull it off as long as everybody is in sync." Rose hung up and went for her own car as Finnick started his van, all of them were meeting at a certain junction and were going to wait for a certain car to show up….

Nick was rushing. His alarm clock hadn't gone off on time and he was late… he was never late! Judy was going to kill him! He must have rolled over and tapped it wrong thinking he was hitting the snooze button as usual and reset it somehow because he was already more than half an hour behind. He rushed into the parking lot almost throwing the gears into position to fast for the transmission to handle before he jumped out and stopped, panting as he eyed the purple eyed doe standing outside like she was waiting for him. Her ears were droopy as she gave him a weak smile and handed him a large cup of coffee that was almost too big for her to hold. "Morning Nick." I'm late and she's not mad? "I clocked you in, so we can just go."

"Ugh…Thank you….OK, what's going on?" He asked as she scrunched her shoulders and one eye curled half closed as she lifted a set of keys that had a large plastic orange foot on the key ring. Nick's eye twitched as she stepped to the side and he caught sight of the ultimate horror in modern technological engineering of what should have been considered anything but a car. The coffee he had been sipping was spewed as he turned his head hacking and scrunched his muzzle in disgust. After he had managed to catch his breath he deadpanned her in a flat tone simply stating the word- "NO."

Judy sighed as she kept the keys held out and Nick narrowed his eyes. "I already tried to talk to the Chief. It's a security assignment to help at the new mall and he doesn't care."

"I am not driving that thing. I don't even want to be seen in it. I mean look at the keychain! It's a foot for crying out loud! A bright silver sardine can on wheels, a tonker toy marketed as a real car- the worst excuse for a vehicle on the planet. I can't even sit in that thing without my nose touching the glass of the windshield! At least in the three wheeled joke mobile I have enough headroom to move or could stick my nose out the window! Just tell me they got the comms radio and the windows fixed at least!" he almost begged and Judy gave him a look that screamed 'I'm really sorry'. Even though he knew it wasn't her fault his tail was still lashing around behind him as he grumbled and stepped around her yanking the passenger door open. "Let's just get there and get this over with. At least we can ditch it once we get it parked somewhere and hopefully hide the thing and not be seen in it."

Judy sighed as she climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. She kept her eyes on the road as she pulled out and tried not to watch him throw and lean the seat back as far as it would go before he stuck his sunglasses over his snout and shook his head staring out the window with a scowl. He couldn't even throw his arm over the door like he usually would because the windows wouldn't roll down. By the time they had reached the parking lot Nick had settled into the seat and was leaning his head over the back rest of the seat. Judy was trying not to laugh at him as his nose kept brushing the top of the roof. The fox had nodded off again and each time his nose brushed the top of the car his whiskers would twitch as he wiggled his snout. He was definitely not a morning mammal.

When she hit the brakes, they screeched sending her ears back as she cringed and Nick shot up in his seat almost smacking his nose on the windshield as he looked around. The fox shook it off blinking and narrowed his eyes at the sight in front of him that had him curling his brow. What's he doing here? He half shook his head as Judy noticed Finnick van and neither of them were paying enough attention to see the two vehicles that parked beside them, or the one that pulled up close behind them as they pulled in behind the small fox's van. Nick went wide eyed when he caught a glance of the white Hunda in the rear view mirror and turned in his seat just in time to see his mother getting out of the car and locking her door. The vixen stuck a pair of sunglasses on her face and walked away with a smirk not paying any attention to them at all as her tail swayed behind her before Nick watched her grab Finnick's paw and disappear around a corner. They're dating? Mom with a second mate? No way….that's so rare it's unheard of….

Judy curled her brow looking around and the rabbit and fox both jolted as something hit the top of their car. Nick shook his head as a trample of feet rushed across the top of the roof. The two vehicles that had parked beside them effectively blocked any of their attempts to open the doors. One car was smaller and parked on Judy's side and the other was a massive wall. Whoever had parked beside them was in a larger vehicle and let the door fall down for the mammals to exit the giraffe sized vehicle and forgot to reclose the door, leaving it stuck over the top of the car. They hadn't even realized they had closed off two small cars because the door was so wide from the outside they couldn't see them. The long legs of the parents followed after several children and it wasn't uncommon for giraffes to leave their doors open because they had such a significant risk of injuring their necks. Nick slammed his paw into the steering wheel and Judy jerked back as he hit the horn. She watched him visible shutter as nothing happened. O.M. GOOOOOOO …. I am stuck in a tiny car with Carrots…..with no way out!...

Wolford poked his head out from around the corner snickering as he tried to look under the door that had covered the little car. He looked up grinning as a Giraffe folded his arms over looking down at him. "Thanks Gerhald, tell May I said hello."

The bull giraffe scoffed as he shook his head. "She'll kill me if she realizes I just did that. You sure this is gonna work? Those two have been dancing around the precinct and each other for months."

Snarlov stole in next to them as a pig waved from the other side of the parking lot. "Well, even Swinton was willing to help, we just want them to talk. This should force the issue."

Gerhald chuckled as he stuck his paws in his pockets and walked away, "I'll be back in two hours."

Wolford and Snarlov grinned as Rose and Finnick waved before they disappeared into the mall."You had the night shift right Snarlov?" the smaller wolf nodded as he yawned and Wolford motioned back to the car. "I'll keep an eye on things. They aren't allowed to carry their cell phones while on duty here, but I can see well enough. Go home and get some sleep I'm off for the rest of the day too."….

Nick tugged at his tie and shirt as he looked around frantically- Oh gods- I was late this morning and forgot to take the…..The fox whined as he looked around desperately searching for an avenue of retreat.

"Nick! It's OK! We're only supposed to be here for a couple of hours. Someone will find us. Just calm down! There is water in the back, we can listen to the radio and the air conditioner works. We'll be fine!"

NO! I WILL NOT BE FINE! Even if the air conditioner does work because the only thing I can smell in this little hot box ( Oh Gods -I Just thought that! ) Is- is YOU!...


	6. Chapter 6

Blocker/ Line Backers/ Offense becomes Defense

Nick was about to die….. Judy shrank away after trying to place a paw on his arm for comfort and he nearly jumped out of his fur. "Nick are you claustrophobic?" He was panting so heavily after fifteen minutes in the car that the windows had condensation rolling from them in streams even with the air conditioner running. His skin was on fire after she had tried to sooth him several times and with each touch it only got worse. Judy sighed as she leaned back into her seat watching him pull his phone from his pocket and wiping off his brow again.

"Something like that fluff… I have no signal!"

"Nick, the new towers aren't working here yet and we're in a little valley. You're lucky you even have that thing with you. If we hadn't just left the station and you had left it in your locker you wouldn't be able to use it for anything."

"Yea, well a lot of good it's doing me now," he grumbled as he shoved it back in his pocket.

"You could still play games on it or look through your things?" Judy lifted a brow as Nick kept digging at his fur. "Are you allergic to something in here?"

"NO! I mean I'm just…." Nick whined again and Judy shrank back in her seat after trying to reach for him when he jerked away. She flipped the radio on and Nick let his head fall into the passenger side window clenching his jaw as Judy started singing along with 'killing me softly' as it started swooning through car. You're killing me alright Carrots, if you had any idea how much I love you and want to make you mine…..Nick thought as he fought not to pant anymore. I bet I could find all kinds of your letters and I'd like to strum all kinds of things for you with my-Stop thinking like that! "JUDY-PLEEEASE STOP SINGING!"

"Oh, sorry." Judy sighed as her ears dropped and she looked to see him wiping the sweat of his face again. "Do you want some water?" Nick nodded as he loosened his tie a little and froze as Judy leaned over the middle section between the seats. His eyes ticked to the side and he fought not to shake his head. God her butt looks like a little heart and her tail is so fluffy. I'd like to bite her right on the Ahh!- Stop thinking like that! Nick clamped a paw over his jaw forcing a growl back into his chest as she finally leaned back into the front seat. As she flipped in the seat Nick's eyes went wide as she accidentally grabbed his tail trying to steady herself. "Oh. I'm sorr-

"I can't do it! I'm sorry Carrots!" Judy slammed both her paws into the seat as she braced against the door wide eyed when Nick kicked the windshield.

"NICK!"

Thump-"I" -THUMP -"Cant" -Thump -"Stay" –Thump- "In here with"- Thump -"You anymore!" -Thump-

The flimsy and small glass shattered and it took him less than half a second to be folding it over and throwing it to the side before crawling over the hood of the car falling out onto the asphalt under the door that was still over the roof.

Wolford blanched as he saw the car bounce several times with a slew of thoughts running through his head. His jaw fell open when Nick almost poured himself out from under the large door from the hood of the car and bolt from the ground, taking off in another direction before he was gone. He stood there shaking his head blinking before he turned to see Judy crawl out of the car and watch Nick run off, the purple eyed doe just sat on the bumper watching him before her face was in her paws trying to keep herself from falling apart. He doesn't want to be around me at all. Wolford shook his head as he walked tot eh car and Judy straightened herself our quickly standing at attention. "Wolford? What are you doing here?" Judy asked as she bit back a sniffle.

The large wolf sighed as her shoulders fell. "We set this up Hopps. Thought it would make you both come to your senses."

"We?" Judy almost frowned as she looked up at the wolf but sighed as his ears tipped back. She looked at Finnicks van and put two and two together and shook her head. "I think you did. He made it pretty clear he didn't want to be around me when he said it flat out. I'm not going to bother him about it anymore. I've asked him out several times and I'm just making him uncomfortable. Hopefully I can get my friend and partner back and just forget about this. I'll call the Chief about the car."

"No Hopps, I'll take care of it. It was my fault."

Judy smiled and shrugged as she walked away heading into the mall. "Thanks. I'll see you later, I'm just going to finish this out and head back to the meter maid area for the rest of the day. I can take the bus home. Thanks for trying to help Wolford. Tell Finnick I said it too." Wolford watched her disappear, ticking his tongue on the roof of his mouth before he sent Finnick and text and made arrangements for the car to be taken care of. He walked through the open food court finding Rose and Finnick sitting together, both of them guffawing after he explained what happened. "I'm gonna kill that pup. Where'd he go?" Finnick asked and Wolford pointed to the last section of the main hall.

Nick had rushed into the closest bathroom and stuck his head under the largest sink he could find. He ran his paws over his face gasping for breath and caught sight of himself in the mirror rolling his eyes at his mussed fur and half soaked shirt before grabbing a bunch of towels and attempting to dry himself off. He yelped when he left the room, with his mother, Finnick and Wolford all standing outside the door with heavy scowls and crossed arms glaring at him. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We were trying to get you and Hopps to talk to each other and stop avoiding a subject that needs to be addressed." Wolford frowned.

Nicks jaw hung open. He looked down at Finnick curling his lip into a deep frown before glancing at his mother. "You set this up! You changed my clock last night! It was your fault I got stuck in a car with her and I'm like…like this!" He motioned to himself as Finnick frowned.

Rose quirked a brow at the smaller fox and Finnick narrowed his eyes. "Do you think I'm cruel pup?! Are you letting your brain get that scrambled because of that girl? Did you even look at your phone? I left you a message... check your shirt pocket stupid." Nick reached into his breast pocket and blinked when he found a small plastic bag that held a single pill in it.

Nick deflated as Wolford shook his head and sighed. "Well you got what you wanted, she's not going to bother you anymore anyway. I'm taking care of the car. Was my fault anyway and we won't try to help anymore. Obviously her being blunt didn't work, we just thought this would force the issue. Sorry Wilde. I'll see you at work on Monday." Wolford walked away and Nick turned back to his mother.

Rose looked at him with a sad tilt. "Nicky, we just wanted you to talk to her. You've been avoiding this for months and she finally came to you about it. I know why you're stuck here, but you're the only one who can handle it. I'm sorry. We were just trying to help."

"Speak for yourself lil mamma." Finnick barked as he started to storm off. "He needs a good foot in the ass once in a while."

After Rose left Nick found himself circling the mall. He had spotted Judy a few times, but it was as if she was avoiding him now and he suddenly understood how she had been feeling. By the time they had both left to take over parking duties on the last roads around the mall it was apparent she had become nervous around him and was unsure of how to behave. She cancelled their movie night and Nick went home sitting at his table picking at a pathetic excuse for a TV dinner before he climbed into bed. The next day drug on and by evening he was sitting on the couch watching a bad rerun and doing his usual doodling on a note pad out of nothing more than habit and a massive lack of interest in the show coupled with extreme boredom when someone tapped on his door.

He couldn't think of anyone who would be coming to visit. Unless it was Carrots….That thought had him grinning ear to ear as he jumped off his couch and swung the door open. The smile dropped into a confused blinking fox as an old buck who's pants were pulled up to high on his waist stood in the door with narrowed eyes and a heavy frown as he seemed to chew on his gums. "Paw- paw?" Why on earth Judy's grandfather would be standing at the door had him quirking a brow as the old buck set his ears rigid.

–Pop- "OW!" -Pop-Pop-Pop- "Ow! Ow! Ow!" Nick jumped back clutching his head after the old male had popped him on the head several times with the end of his cane. "YA DANG IDJIT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY JU JU!?"

The fox looked at him bewildered as he sauntered into the room with pursed lips. "What are you talking about!?"

Paw paw, who Judy was the only one allowed to call P- paw because she had a little niche in his heart looked around shaking his head seeing all the doodles Nick had done all over the paper and the photos of the two of them together tacked up on the walls and refrigerator. Nick's ears tipped back with a slight blush after being caught scribbling her name all over the paper and drawing poor little renditions of rabbits all over the page. "If'n you want her why ain't you chasing her you stupid boy!"

"Chasing her?!" Nick asked as he stood straight with a perplexed look and still rubbing his head.

"You idjit! Ain't you ever had a girlfriend? Didn't your old male ever tell you how things worked with rabbits and between different spe….cies…?" The old buck adjusted his glasses shaking his head when Nick's ears flicked back with a sour face. "You ain't even dated nobody? Turnip greens, no wonder you're a mess boy, and you got her a mess too. Sit down, me and you's gonna talk about the birds and bees." Nick shook his head with wide eyes and paw paw narrowed his again. "I ain't talking about sex boy. Any Idjit can do that, you're a fox, you mate for life, so do rabbits. She already knew how things worked with you because she asked. Now you gotta do things the way we do em if'n you want her."

"She asked…you?"

"Course she asked me boy, but I don't know everything about your kind, I'm old and dated! She's been chasing you ain't she?" Nick nodded absently as the old buck tilted his head. "That's how vixens do it ain't it? They get to pick the one they want right?" Nick nodded again and Paw Paw pointed to the couch. "Sit down, I got some things to explain to ya. First thing is- chase her back! It's like football boy. She got you on the offense, you gotta start being the defense. She's already bonded to you, so all you have to do is,"

"Bonded?" Nick asked as he sat down and tilted his head.

"Boy I'm gonna-

"Would you quit calling me boy! I'm twenty nine for crying out loud!"

"Well quit actin like one you red furred twit! How can ya not even know what rabbit bonding is?" Nick rolled his eyes and slapped a paw over his muzzle as Paw paw blinked. "Oh rabbit biscuits, how on Gods green earth do you not now this stuff when you're an ex con fox!?"

Nick sighed as Paw Paw sat on the other end of the couch shaking his head. "Look, just because I was good at selling things to any mammal doesn't mean I knew about other species on a personal level. My Dad left when I was ten. He found a younger vixen and left me and my mother. A family friend stepped in when I was sixteen and tried to help."

"That's unheard of boy… you got quite a few years of learnin missin there- no wonder you're a mess of chopped greens, we're gonna have to start with the basics. Rabbits chase each other back and forth until the female (Sigh), the first thing is to get that mess of hormones under control. I could smell you from the hall and I aint even got the nose for it." Nick blushed as the old male looked him over and started chuckling. "Here's what you're gonna have to do son…" Nick listened with perked ears and was nervous when he opened the door to let Paw paw leave. The old buck turned and grabbed his tie with the hook of his cane yanking him down to his level and Nick yelped as Paw paw narrowed his eyes. "Git it right this time, I hate comin to this city and Bonnie is my only daughter, she's gonna ring my neck if she finds out I came here alone. Ya screw up again and I gotta come back to this nightmare of civilization I'm gonna give ya a good what fur! I'll pelt you and tan your hide so my little Ju Ju can wear that red fur she likes so much as a coat and use your tail as a head wrap and a scarf!"

"You guys don't care that I'm… a fox and she a bunny?"

"Don't make me knock some sense into your head and black your other eye you idgit! We might be rabbits and I might be old but we all just want her to be happy. I never would have let Bonnie give her my wife's recipe if that was the case. Don't make no difference what you are if you're the one who can do that." The fox nodded sheepishly as Paw paw left for home grumbling and closed the door looking off in thought before he was grinning again. They all cuss like that! Her whole family is alright with this?! Even her father and her mother! And she likes my fur…. Well I already know she likes my tail and now I know she likes….. and rabbits chase each other back and forth. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE DONE THAT TOGETHER GOOFING AROUND AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANT! Nick was snickering as he started thinking and had all day Sunday to contemplate how he was going to go about getting Judy back on the right side. Now that he had himself under control again and a great deal more confidence he had already made a plan and put things into action, all he needed was the for a few of the right opportunities to present themselves…..

By the time Judy got to the station Monday morning she was a wreck. She had no idea how to act around Nick anymore. Going home for the day before had been wonderful and being around her grandfather had brightened her mood but she had made things to complicated, or comfortable around Nick. Things they had been doing together as friends often seemed to cross the line into something more and she wasn't sure how to distinguish the difference anymore. They often ate dinner out together after work, were constantly watching movies together and just walking around the city in their time off with him explaining where things were, how to get around and things to watch for on and off the clock. She was so nervous and distracted that she literally ran right into Higgins legs and Bogo lifted a brow as the hippo stuffed a box under his arm. "Higgins? What are you doing?" she asked as he shifted the box. The bull shrugged as he stuck a thumb towards Bogo. She looked back at her commander and chief as he folded his arms while Higgins walked to the front of the lobby.

"Higgins and Pennington were in an intimate relationship, he's being transferred to District two." The mass of muscles turned and walked away, leaving her standing there blinking. Co workers can't be in relationships? I don't want to lose Nick as my partner. He's still my best friend! I guess it's a good thing he wasn't interested then wasn't it?

"Hey Carrots." Judy squeaked when Nick startled her and swallowed when she turned to find him lowered to her level holding out her favorite morning treat. A cup of hot carrot carmello with a touch of cinnamon and whipped cream. She couldn't drink caffeine, that would have her bouncing off the walls. "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry about the mall and the car. I think we need to talk."

"Uhm," Judy swallowed as he stayed at her level with an ornery smirk as he lifted his sunglasses and let them rest over the top of his head. God I love those green eyes…"NO! I mean, it's OK Nick. It would be better if we didn't. Thanks for this. I better… eh he, I'll just be going now." Nick watched as she puffed out her cheeks and pointed off nervously before she rushed away to get her things from her locker for their meter maid duties. She doesn't want to talk. That's' Ok, we don't really need to talk at this point when I know what she is thinking….

Judy had drained the drink Nick had brought her by the time they met at the door. Nick had opened it for her and leaned in close when she passed. The doe had gone flat faced blinking when his scent hit her. Oh my gosh, he smells like clovers! How did he even find something that smells like my favorite wildflowers that I like to eat? Nick was walking in front of her as they made their way to their assigned street. The fox was walking his usual sway with his glasses held over his eyes and Judy was fighting not to gawk as his tail kept swaying in front of her like a pendulum. Is he doing that on purpose?! AND WHAT DID HE DO TO HIS FUR! She nearly ran into him when he stopped in front of her.

The fox looked back over his shoulder tipping a brow over his glasses as Judy shook her head. "S-sorry. I'm just going to go work over there for the day." Nick nodded and smirked as he watched her rush to the other side of the street before he leaned over one of the lower parking meters propping himself on it and chuckling. Run rabbit…

By the time lunch had come around Nick was fighting not to laugh because Judy hadn't even managed to give out a hundred tickets. It was a rare thing for him to beat her in that particular area and he had done it by a mile today simply because she had kept watching him. He acted as if he wasn't paying any attention to her taking glances at him, but was keeping an eye on her through the lenses of his glasses, the reflection from the widows in the shops or the parked vehicles he had been ticketing. It just made his tail wag and sway more, which was one of the reasons she kept peeking at him. That and the special fur shampoo and conditioner that made him have a bright sheen on his coat was also keeping her eyes glued to his face as much as the rest of him. That half open mouth she would get with those two front teeth half poking out of her mouth while she kept trying not to look at him or get caught doing it was one hell of a sight and also had him fighting not to puff his chest out."A little off your game today aren't you Carrots?" He asked as they sat down at a table. They had already ordered their food.

Judy let her ears fall as she shrugged "Everybody has an off day once in a while Nick."

"Order 734. Order 735." A voice sounded over the system of the intercom in the fast food restaurant.

Nick shook his head as Judy tried to stand up. "I'll get it Carrots. I'll be right back." Judy sat back down sighing as Nick went to the counter. Get a grip girl! Stop playing with your ears and twiddling your fingers! It's just Nick! Her jaw fell open as he sat her plate down and then sat with his in front of her again. She had taken a bathroom break after ordering and paying for her food and hadn't seen what he had gotten. On his plate was nothing other than several large steamed carrots covered in some kind of parsley with an orange sauce glaze. Judy ate her lunch and watched in wonder as Nick gobbled up his food. She had never once seen him eat the orange vegetables before and shook her head as she finished eating and watched him tick his eyes to the last one on his plate.

"I thought you hated carrots Nick?" she asked as she watched him stick the last one with a fork and stuff it in his mouth before he was grinning through chewing and swallowed.

Opportunity number one. "Now why would you think that? You of all mammals should know, I love Carrots….."

Judy dropped her plastic fork and Nick was just sitting there resting his jaw in his palm and licked his lips blinking at her as she swallowed hard. "I'm... I'm just gonna get back to work…"

"Sure thing Carrots. I'll be along as soon as I clean this up." He motioned to the table and was ear to ear smiles as he leaned one arm over the back of his chair and propped one leg over the other as she rushed from the doors in a blushing gray blur. Keep running rabbit….


	7. Magnetism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> push and pull

Magnetism

Nick wiped his mouth off and watched her through the large window as she rushed around the corner of the building before he stood up and dropped the trash in the bin and left the trays on the counter. He stuffed his paws in his pockets after lowering his glasses again and shoved the door open with his shoulder as he stuck his head out and caught her reflection in the window across from where she was standing. He narrowed his eyes and was mumbling to himself; "Here kitty kitty kitty," as he chuckled and walked onto the sidewalk watching her reflection as she tried to catch her breath. The doe was leaned into the side of the building like it was the only thing holding her up with her paws bracing the bricks as she fought not to pant.

He didn't say that! It's just Nick! He's just blowing this off and got his slick back. He's just messing with me like he was before. I'm crazy if I think he meant anything by that! He can't have meant anything by that! "EEP!" Judy stifled her own squeak when she saw him in the reflection of the window across the street. He was standing there with his mirrored shades on smirking before he started looking around like he was trying to find her. Judy slipped around the corner and let out a heavy breath as she shook her head. At least he didn't see me like that! Work! I need to work! Lots of work!

Nick tilted his head laughing silently as he watched her bounce from behind the building and start attacking every car that had a meter ping. He knew her well enough to know she was trying to keep her mind occupied by staying busy. He spent the rest of the afternoon chasing her around the blocks that they had been assigned to. Judy had written more tickets in the single afternoon than she had any other full day and managed to break her own record. Nick just kept following her around, whistling a tune as he ticketed a car here and there. Each time she turned she nearly fell over when he was right beside or behind her grinning. Of course he was cheating, because he knew the city like the back of his paw. Every time she'd thought she had gotten a break he would slip into a little alley or pathway between the buildings and be right behind her again. By the time their shift ended she was huffing and had managed to break her ticket machine.

"Carrots, you need some water?" Nick asked with a tipped ear and watched her stammer as she tried to punch the buttons on her machine again. He leaned into his knees with his paws looking at her with concern after lifting his shades and trying not to smile as she shook her head.

Why does he keep doing that?! He always hides his eyes and today every time I have bumped into him he takes his glasses off and looks right at me! I'd like to wipe that stupid smirk and ridiculously sly...smile… beautiful… eyes… caring…handsome …sexy …CRAP! "N-no, I have to go get a Z-17 form from Clawhauser for this Nick. I'll see you later." Nick kept his smirk under wraps until she had turned enough that she couldn't see his face. "Clawhauser?" Judy asked as she stepped to his desk. The cheetah leaned over grinning and bouncing over his desk as he stuck both cheeks in his paws and lifted his brows waiting. "I need a Z-17 form. I broke my ticket puncher and have to get it sent for repairs and get a replacement for tomorrow."

Clawhauser sat back and started digging through his desk and leaned back over frowning. "I'm sorry Judy. We're all out. We should have some more in tomorrow, the copy machine is broken so we haven't had any made since last week."

Judy sighed as she rubbed her head. "Great, two vehicles and an out of op machine. Bogo is going to kill me." She stood up blinking and smiled as a thought crossed her mind. She really needed to get her head together. "Never mind Clawhauser, I just remembered that I keep extra copies of all these forms in my desk. Can you clock me out? I'll drop it off on my way out. I'll be right back." Clawhauser nodded as she passed him the machine before she ran past his desk and he looked up wondering where the fox had gone.

Nick had heard the conversation and snuck off to their office as memories bombarded his mind.

"Ya gotta chase her boy! It aint how things work for tods, but that's how it works for rabbits. Chase her till ya get her chasin' you again or figure out a way to make her chase ya again!"

"She really wants me?"

"I told ya she asked! Don't be an idgit! Aint nobody that can't see you want her! Aint ya ever heard about how opposites attract? It's like two magnets son, you gotta chase her, then she'll chase you. Eventually she'll flip sides and stop running. She'll be stuck to you like two attracted magnets. And ya better stick with her or I'll come back here and ring your red furred tail! Rabbits mate for life so don't start something ya ain't gonna finish!"

Opportunity number two;

Nick grabbed the drawer and pulled out the sheet he knew Judy was looking for before dipping behind the door as she rushed into the room. The fox waited until she was distracted and grousing about not being able to find it before he stole out of the room. Judy tipped her ears up as she heard a shuffle and turned just in time to see the end of his tail disappear around the corner. "Nick?" She shook her head as she slammed the drawers closed and walked back to the lobby to find Nick with a sinister grin on his face and tilted her head as she narrowed her eyes. "What are you up to because I know that look?" Nick bounced his brow and let the grin crawl up one side of his muzzle before he pulled the sheet of paper out from behind his back waving it in front of her like a flag. "Is that my form?" Judy asked as she pursed her lips trying not to giggle at his antics. He knew she had been frustrated about the machine and would often pull something like this to get her into a better mood before they left for the day. "Give it back!"

"Come get it." Nick cooed and jumped as she shot forward.

"Nick!" Judy giggled as she started chasing him around Clawhauser's desk. The large cheetah stuck his head over the edge and was like an old type writer that kept getting slammed back and forth as he watched Judy chasing Nick around his desk. "Give that back!"

"Make me!"

Wolford stopped at the landing after hearing the two of them laughing and shouting at each other. His eyes went wide and jaw fell as he watched Judy jump forward trying to catch the fox again. They both had maneuverability but it wasn't taking much for the fox to stay ahead of her with his longer legs. That and the fact that Judy's soft furry paws kept slipping on the slick and polished tiled floor each time she tried to turn quickly and sliding had Nick snickering and teasing her even more as Wolford's Jaw fell open. Snarlov quirked a brow joining the larger wolf and let his head drop to his chest.

"Does he know what he's doing right now!?" The smaller wolf asked and Wolford tipped one brow pointing.

"Look at his tail."

"Oh, howling nights. He does know." Snarlov muttered.

Nick was nearly dancing around Clawhauser's desk staying away from the purple eyed doe and dipping every chance he got. What not many mammals understood with canines was that the position or height they held their tails in had a significant tell about how and what they were doing in relation to who they were dealing with. Foxes keeping their tail more than an inch or two off the ground were in the mix with a potential mate, and Nick was keeping his tail a good three inches off the floor and spinning and twirling it with every twist he made around the doe trying to catch him. Judy was distracted and either didn't know the meaning of what he was doing or not paying attention to the fact that he kept brushing it along her legs and back each time they turned around each other. The fact that the end of his fluffy duster was twitching in an erratic pattern also indicated; he already considered her his mate and was trying to get her attention… and he was getting it. "Give it back!" Judy laughed as she lunged again.

"No!" Nick spun laughing and let her slide under his arms before he turned around with his tail swishing in front of him grinning as she turned narrowing her eyes. Judy was attempting to jump up and grab the paper from his lifted arm. The fox was swaying back and forth laughing as she kept trying to jumping up and down reaching for his paw or the paper that was in it. She stopped with narrowed eyes before she stepped back smirking. Nicks eyes went wide and his other paw went to his shirt pocket as she waved the carrot pen in front of him. Since she had given it to him he never left it anywhere. On the few occasions he thought he had lost it Judy thought he might go berserk tearing through everything and the places they had been until he found it. It never left his shirt pocket. "NOT THE CARROT PEN! You gave me that, give it back!"

Judy stuck her tongue on the bottom of her two front teeth grinning as she held it out just like she had in front of the Naturalist's club. "Are you going to give it back….or not?" she asked smartly.

Nick tilted his head and then rolled his eyes to the ceiling as if looking around for the absent birds in the precinct. Judy's jaw dropped when he looked back at her with a malicious smile. "No, no I am not."

"NICHOLAS WILDE!"

"Pfft Hahahaha!" and she was after him again.

Clawhauser's head was ticking from side to side again as she started chasing him around and several officers had taken notice and shook their heads while Wolford and Snarlov stood there blinking when Judy lost her patience. The bunny bolted from the floor, hopped onto a stunned Clawhauser's lap and onto his head before jumping onto the desk and dive bombing the fox. "OOmf!"

"Give that back!" Judy giggled as she landed on his chest. Nick rolled over and stood up with her still trying to wrestle the paper away as held it over his head again.

"No, what are you going to do about it shorty?"

"SHORTY?!"

Nick leaned his face towards her until they were almost nose to nose and narrowed his eyes as she kept glaring at him. Infuriating! Cocky, smart aleck….pretty eyes….goofy…big hearted….Judy dropped the pen and moved so fast Nick wouldn't have had time to react if he had planned to. The doe's wrists went half limp before she was smacking the top of his snout like two girls having a sissy fight. She jumped back gasping with both paws over her mouth after she went wide eyed. Nick blinked several times and let his lids half droop with an elated smile. "Madam! I didn't even know you could hit like a girl!"

"EEP!" Judy gasped as she shot from the lobby into the girl's locker room.

"It's gonna startle her son. It's an instinct and she won't even know she done it until after it's done. They almost always run off after they do it because it shocks them. Keep chasin' her!"

Nick stood up grinning from ear to ear as Clawhauser guffawed from over the desk. One down two to go… He thought. The fox picked up the pen and walked back to where he could fill out the paper work and was whistling as he filled out the form. He handed it to Clawhauser and was lazily using the large cat's desk to lean one shoulder into his side even with the cheetah still looking over the edge blinking at him while his mouth hung open. He was swishing and twitching his tail back and forth as Wolford and Snarlov approached from the side.

Clawhauser pointed down at the fox who turned his head up with a sly smirk watchin gte locker room doors. The large cat stuck one paw over the side of his muzzle trying to hide his mouth and mimed 'Is he purring?' Both wolves shook their heads frowning as Nick looked over his shoulder.

"Wilde?" Wolford asked. Nick turned his head and tipped a brow grinning as both wolves tilted their ears.

"Fort, Snarls." Nick stuffed his paws in his pockets and walked to the locker room whistling before he disappeared and left both wolves and the cheetah staring after him before Snarlov shook his head.

"Is he whistling what I think he's whistling?" Snarlov asked as Nick disappeared into the locker room.

"Yep." Wolford replied.

"What the hell happened?"

"Invasion of the pod people." Wolford blinked.

"Doppelganger?" Snarlov asked as Clawhauser ticked his eyes between the two of them. Both wolves glanced at each other and Wolford ticked his head before Snarlov followed him away from the large cat's desk. It was bad enough the cat had heard the fox with a light rumble rolling through his chest. Talking about anything personal around the friendly cat was always a mistake because everyone knew he just let things roll off his tongue and was the stations gossip 'hound'. "You think he knows what she just did?"

"Oh he knows exactly what just happened." The larger wolf grinned as he started chuckling.

"What the hell happened to the fox who couldn't even be in the same room with her a few days ago? He was a blubbering bundle of brainless and now he's….."

"Nicholas Wilde?" Wolford laughed….

Nick made quick work of changing in the locker room as he pulled on a pair of his favorite old jeans and a new shirt before he was standing outside the doors waiting after leaving his uniform to be cleaned...

Judy rushed into the locker room and was peeling off her clothes as Francine Pennington and Trixie Fangmeyer turned on the bench before looking at each other with tipped brows. "What's wrong with her?" Trixie asked as Francine stood up shaking her head.

"Aiiiiiieee!" Judy screeched as she jumped under the shower after twisting the knob. She was pretty sure the only way to get rid of or explain the blush engulfing and covering her whole body was cold water. I didn't just do that! I didn't just do that! I did not just box his nose! Oh my gosh- I just told him I wanted him to be my….He doesn't know what it meant!…..That can't happen again!

"Hopps?" Francine asked as she looked around the stall. The little bunny was leaned into the wall shivering, her clothes left in small bundles from the locker room door all the way into the shower area. "What's wrong with you?"

"C-cold." Judy replied.

Francine rolled her eyes. "You know you can't reach the handles on these things well enough to adjust the water. They haven't put ones in for mammals your size yet. All you had to do was ask and I would have helped you. The water pressure isn't designed for someone your size either. You're beet red!" The elephant twisted the knobs letting warm water through and lowering the pressure and Judy melted to the wall as it started running over her fur. "You all right Hopps?"

"I don't feel so hot."

"I can't imagine why after trying to freeze yourself to death." Francine giggled as she handed the tiny rabbit a towel. Judy let her shoulders slump as she wrapped it around herself and walked to the locker section before drying herself off and throwing on a pair of shorts. She picked up her clothes and opened her locker stuffing them inside as Pennington sat next to Trixie again.

Someone entered the locker room and Nick was standing outside the door waiting, his tail swaying back and forth as he leaned into the wall and let his voice carry through. "Oh Carroooots? It's Monday movie matinee! They're having a scary movie marathon at the theatre tonight! Hurry up!"

Judy's eyes went wide before she jumped into her locker and slammed the door behind herself squeaking. "Don't let him see me!" Trixie and Francine looked at each other with tipped brows before glancing back to the locker. I forgot about the movies! I can't go watch scary movies with him! I hate scary movies and I always end up clinging to his shirt with my head buried in his…wonderful…smelling…fur! Listening to his …heartbeat and …every breath he takes….I need some help!

Trixie leaned over whispering, "Don't they always do Monday movie nights? I thought she was trying to get him to go out with her?"

"I don't want to lose him as my partner!" Judy almost barked from inside the locker and Francine shook her head as she shrugged at Trixie.

"Why would you- Francine jerked her head as Nick's voice cut through the walls.

"CARROOOTS! Come on rabbit! We're going to be late!" Nick swooned again.

Judy jumped from her locker looking around frantically as the tiger and elephant gawked at her. "Francine. Quick, lift me up to the window so I can crawl through it and get out of here!"

The elephant looked at her and the window before busting out laughing. "Not even you are going to fit through that window Honey bunny. What's the big deal? I thought you wanted to go out with him anyway?"

"I did! I mean I…help me? I don't feel right and I can't be around him right now. Something is wrong with me."

Trixie leaned over curling her nose as Francine lifted her trunk. They both went wide eyed as Judy rubbed her forehead. "Oh Hun, you got it bad," the tigress said as she sat back grinning. Judy shook her head with a grimace as she looked at her as if asking for an explanation. "Just go rut some guy and get it over with and out of your system if you changed your mind about the fox."

"EWWW!" Judy screamed as she shook her head. "Why would I do that?!"

Trixie and Francine looked at her laughing as she rubbed her neck and kept brushing down her fur. "You're in heat girl."

Judy looked at them frowning as she started thumping a foot against the floor with her paws on her hips. "Do you know how ridiculous that is? Rabbits don't go into heat! We never have!"

"Well you're in something Honey Bunny," Francine cooed as Judy kept shaking her head. "This long nose isn't just for looks. I can smell as good as any predator can."

"Just go take care of it and it will pass," Trixie purred.

"How would you know? Take care of it? It doesn't work that way for rabbits Trixie!"

"I guess I wouldn't know. I'm a cat and we just go about our business. It's rare for us to really settle down with one mate." Trixie shrugged.

Francine nodded. "We elephants live in matriarch-

Judy jumped as Nicks voice cut through the room again. "Come on Carrots!" The door swung open and Trixie narrowed her eyes as another female officer passed through when she heard the fox muttering under his breath from outside the door. "Here kitty kitty."

"Francine, please just get me out of here!" Judy begged hiding behind a row of lockers as Trixie stood up and walked to the door. The elephant rolled her eyes and opened a large duffle bag laughing as Judy crawled inside before she zipped it and flung it over her shoulder. Trixie stepped out of the locker room squinting at Nick. "I heard that. What are you doing? Trying to get a look at my tail from outside the door Wilde?" she asked as she stuck one paw on her hip.

"Wrong kitty," Nick muttered with a smirk as her tail swished behind her. "But if you go get Carrots for me I promise I'll take a look at it as you're walking away Fangs."

Trixie Fangmeyer threw her head back laughing before she shook her head and gave him a playful shove. "Go home you dog. Shift was over twenty minutes ago."

Francine walked out of the locker room with the bag over her shoulder as Nick shrugged. "Waiting for my partner. We always do movies on Mondays."

"I think you missed her Wilde," Francine replied as she pointed to the other hall with her trunk.

"Couldn't have Penny," Nick answered with a grin and quirked his head. "This is the only door."

Francine rolled her eyes. "I'm about as far from a penny as anyone could get Wilde. Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Hmm, 'Nick' name analysis. OK. Francine Pennington. Always bright and shiny like a new penny. Every time you see one on the ground you have to pick it up for luck." Nick waved a paw at her and smiled.

Francine laughed as she stepped around him "You couldn't pick me up if you tried fox. You'd be lucky if I didn't squash you if you tried."

"Hey now," Nick smirked as he stepped closer to her and the elephant tilted her head as he leaned in closer.

"Easy there lover boy," she shooed him away. "I'm already taken so back off."

"Damn," Nick pouted in jest. "Shot down by two lovelies in a single day. Seriously though Penny, what are you wearing?"

"Wearing?" Francine asked as she looked at Trixie.

Nick dipped his head down lower and both females glanced at each other as his nostrils flared. "The new perfume? I really like it."

Judy tried to hold herself as still as possible stuffed in around Francine's large shirts while she sat in the duffle bag the elephant had thrown over her back. The rabbit grabbed her ears pulling them over her face cringing. I can't be in heat! Rabbits don't go into heat! Oh my gosh, he can smell me! I need help!

"Ask my boyfriend. Later Wilde." Francine smiled. Nick shrugged as both females walked away giggling and leaned back into the wall as he pulled out his phone and started playing on one of his apps still waiting for Judy. Wolford and Snarlov were both peeking over a partition trying not to snicker as the two larger females left the precinct whispering and giggling to each other as they walked out the doors. Francine stepped around the last corner they had walked past with Trixie and unzipped the bag after moving it. She pulled out a shirt and had to shake it gently to untangle the bunny inside, watching her fall to the ground with a slight 'oof' and wondering how Judy had gotten herself all tangled up in one of the large sleeves as Trixie giggled from beside her.

Judy scrambled from the ground dusting herself off as both her friends silently snickered at her. "Thanks Francine."

The elephant laughed as Judy pulled her shirt down straightening it and shook her head. "Hopps why do you think you-

"I'm sorry Francine, I gotta go! I need to talk to someone. I'll see you both later. Bye!"

Trixie and Francine looked at each other shaking their heads after Judy bounced off and started running away in a gray blur. The large cat leaned into one hip giggling. "She didn't believe either of us about anything we already said. No reason for her to start listening now. You know how she is. Stubborn rabbit."

"Idiots," Francine giggled as she stuffed her shirt back into her bag. "They are both idiots."

Judy rushed around the corner yanking her phone out and hitting autodial. Bonnie's face popped up the screen and Judy's whole body relaxed when she saw her mother standing in the kitchen with a large bowl in one paw while she stirred with the other. "Hi Bun bun!"

"Mom! I need to talk to P-Paw!" Bonnie twisted her neck as the sound of a bunch of little pitter patters hit the floor and rolled her eyes when a small hoard of bunnies rushed into the room.

"Mommy mommy! Jimmy put a bug in my ear!"

"Oh for carrots sake!" Bonnie cringed as she sat the bowl down and started looking over one of her younger does who was squalling and screaming as she scratched at her ear.

"I did not!" A small buck exclaimed as another shot- "Yes he did Mom! I saw it!"

"TATTLE TALE!" Bonnie looked up as two teens came into the room.

"Mooom! Allen won't stay out of my room!"

"Well stop taking my CD's and I will!" the older doe turned again with set ears as a preteen started yelling….

"Jeremy brought the frogs in the house!"

"Oh no," Bonnie shook her head after pulling a small cricket out of the little does ear and turned with wide eyes as several large frogs started hopping all over the kitchen. The girls were squealing and screaming as several of the bucks were giggling and laughing while Bonnie started rushing all over the room. Judy shook her head as one of her younger brothers slid in front of the phone holding up a frog that was as large as his head.

"Look Judy! If you kiss him he will turn into a prince!"

"Trevor!" Judy shouted sternly, "Get the frog away from the phone!" The little buck kept laughing as he kept touching the frog's lips to the screen making kissy noises and Judy slapped a paw over her face as her mother kept scrambling around the room behind him trying to corral kits and critters.

"I'm sorry Sweety." She heard her mother say from the background. "Paw paw is being stubborn and arguing with your father about going to New Yak city in the morning for the Carrot Confectioners Convention, you know how much he hates the city but he's the only one the older farmers will talk to. Jeremy stop that!" Bonnie turned and narrowed her eyes after a splat sounded through the room and all the kits around her started to explode as mud started flying. "Ooh! All of you just wait until your father comes back! I'm sorry Judy, I have my paws full while everyone is on break and the older kits are in the fields getting everything prepped." Bonnie shooed a kit away from the phone as she reached for the button.

"No wait Mom! I really need to talk to someo…"

"I love you Bun Bun! Bye Bye!"

Judy's eye twitched as the screen went black. The doe gripped her paws together and bristled where she stood. "BRUSTLE SPROUTS!" Judy screamed and slapped a paw over her mouth blushing and looking around as if she had just said the most offensive thing on the planet. I really need some help!...

"How long do you think it's going to take him to figure it out?" Snarlov asked Wolford as they kept watching Nick from behind their little sectioned off wall.

Nick stood there for a good ten minutes playing with his phone before his face twisted into confusion, then he blinked before his eyes went wide as he shot up standing straight from the wall. The look on his face resembled something similar to absolute shock and bewilderment that twisted into a smile that crested all the way into his eyes and cheeks and crinkled his forehead. That sneaky clever little bunny. The little vixen got past me and that was no perfume I smelled, that smell was…her.

The larger wolf tilted his head to one side as Nick shoved his phone in his back pocket before dipping it towards the fox again. "Look," both wolves watched as he started beaming. The fox narrowed his eyes and tucked his ears back into an ornery tilt as he started heading to the doors mumbling about chasing down his curious kitty. "He definitely figured it out." Wolford whispered.

Nick slid his glasses down grinning and stuffed a paw in his pocket as he walked to the door humming. Both wolves fell into the cubicle cackling as he shoved the door open and walked out singing the tune he had been whistling. "I'll put on my best blue jeans, I'll put on a brand new shirt, I'll get home early from work, if you say that you love me….. I want you to want me… I need you to need me… I'd love you to love me." Nick stepped on the first stair out of the precinct looking around with the most elated smile he could be wearing as he kept singing before his head whipped to the side catching the same scent and the direction they had gone in. Why don't we chase vixens or the ones we want? It's stupid for us not to because ….I really like it!


	8. Fever Pitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fox rush

Fever Pitch

Judy rushed through her contacts shaking her head and finally found the number she was looking for. "Jason!" her ears shot up as she heard the buck on the other end grumbling about bad timing and Judy sighed as her brother sat back in his chair. He was the only sibling she had in the city and the only one who was close enough to her personally and in distance she could call.

"I'm in the middle of a huge story Jude. Make this quick."

"Can you come with me to the hospital? I'm not feeling so great and I don't want to go alone. P-Paw is going to New Yak city in the morning, Mom has her paws full and everybody else is busy."

"You're sick?" he asked as he sat in his chair and started shoving things around his desk looking for a pen.

"I'm…not feeling right."

He scribbled off something to an assistant and the small deer looked it over nodding before she shook her head and left as he grabbed his coat. There weren't a ton of rabbits in the city. The few that did live and work there were the ambitious types and often worked in legal fields or as reporters and her brother was one of the few rabbits in her family who had taken to the city like a firestorm and raged his way through the ranks of press just as Judy had done the same in the police department. It had just been easier for him in a field rabbits were already known to enter whereas Judy had been the first bunny cop anywhere. Rabbits always made good reporters, because despite their size, if anything they were curious creatures and could be tenacious if driven. The buck was out the door faster than most mammals in his office would have known he could move as he rushed to his car. "Where are you?"….

Nick had let his nose carry him more blocks than he thought she could have managed to get when he stopped grinning as his head dropped with a sneaky smile. The rabbit was standing there looking around nervously and his brow crinkled as she waved when a car screeched in front of her. A buck jumped out and rushed around the front of the car before he had her face in his paws and seemed to be examining her from head to toe as she rolled her eyes and let her shoulders slump. Nick tilted his head as she sighed and watched as the buck rushed her into the car. She looked flushed and a little sweaty. He knew the buck was her brother as they often met up on certain nights to have a get together with him being the only one of her siblings in the city. Judy had showed him a few pictures but they had never met. He also knew the male was worried with the way he was handling his sister.

She's sick? Maybe that's why I didn't recognize her scent. It took me at least ten minutes to figure it out. There was something different about it, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was. At the moment he could care less, because the buck in the car wasn't the only one who was worried as the car passed. Nick scrambled as he jumped on the bumper of a large vehicle going the same direction. It was about as illegal as you could get, but it was the quickest way to get around the city if you were tailing someone. All you had to do was watch the car you were following and use a vehicle larger than one meant for a mammal your size to follow them. Keeping an eye on the turn signals wasn't that difficult to know which way the car you were tailing or riding on would turn. All he had to do was hop from one bumper to another when they turned and the vehicle he was on went the other direction. He didn't get to many odd glances for it. It was fairly common for citizens without cars to hitch a ride on a larger vehicles bumper getting from one place to another, even if many who saw him shook their heads and rolled their eyes.

As long as a cop didn't spot him he wasn't going to get stopped, and even if he did, he was a cop and would get chastised but could likely talk himself out of it. He had lost sight of them by the time they got to their destination. It was an off the track clinic located under a larger hospital that took walk ins and Nick shook his head wondering why she would come here. He knew she had good insurance that covered going somewhere better because he had the same coverage under a city employee's benefits. He had tried to text her several times but she was either too distracted to answer or was choosing not to as he started ambling through the large clinic looking for her and her brother. After an hour of frantic searching and being told they couldn't give out information on patients he gave up sitting in the waiting area to the largest exit hoping she would pass by and he could ask her if she was alright….

Judy's fur was on fire, for several reasons. Her brother was looking at her slack jawed as the doctor was explaining things and she couldn't fight the waves of heat radiating through her body as she fought not to shiver from the cold sweat she had broken into. "What species have you bonded to Ms. Hopps?" the doctor asked as she shied her eyes from her brother when he managed to blink. Judy sighed as she dropped her head.

"Does it really matter? He made it clear he wasn't interested in me."

Jason gave her a sad frown as she looked the other way fighting tears and the doctor sat the clip board down and sighed. "Ms. Hopps, I can give you medications for this, but it is extremely rare for a rabbit to have a heat cycle. The times it has been recorded it has happened because the opposite species had a similar trait. It's called a Mirrored Infraction. As long as you are around the one you have bonded to, it isn't going to go away even if he isn't interested in you until you take certain steps." The doctor wrote out a prescription and gave Judy several pills to take with her until she could get to a pharmacy before giving her another sheet. Judy looked it over dropping her head with a sigh as Jason stepped beside her looking it over. "If you take it now it should have everything under control in about an hour."

Judy pulled her coat on and walked out with Jason going through one of the narrow halls back to the front doors when she stopped and shook her head. "This is humiliating."

Nicks ears perked as he heard Judy's voice, the tod stood and started to step around the corner and froze as her voice ground him to a halt. "This is humiliating! This doesn't happen to rabbits Jason! How am I supposed to do anything feeling like this all the time?"

The buck gave her a small smile with soft eyes as he shook his head. "You aren't the first one Judy. The pills will help. Just give it some time. Take a few days off and get your head straight. Don't look at me like that. I know you have sick days built up because you never take them. By the time the medications kick in and you have a few days to get your thoughts in order then you can deal with it."

Nick curled his brow and crinkled his nose. He wasn't about to interrupt a conversation with her brother or bust in if she was embarrassed about whatever it was, he was looking around desperately searching for a way to get out of the area before they spotted him so they wouldn't think he was eaves dropping. He froze where he stood as Judy whisper screamed at her brother. "I'm in heat! Rabbits don't go into heat Jason! What if these pills don't work?!"

Nick's eyes went wide as Jason started chuckling. "The doctor said they would work Jude. You heard him, it's rare but not unheard of. So… who is this guy you've bonded to? I didn't even know you were hanging around anyone that much." Jason threw up his paws shaking his head as Judy stomped the floor glaring at him with a straight brow. "OK, I won't ask again! Are you going to do that?" he asked as he pointed to the paper. Judy sighed as she crumbled it and Nick ducked behind a large potted plant as she tossed it into the trash can and shook her head as they walked past him and the waiting area.

"I wish it was that simple, but I don't think I have much of a choice. So I guess I am."

"Jude, I know we only meet up once in a while and don't spend a whole lot of time together, your personal life is your own. Everybody back home is really busy right now. But if you need me you know all you have to do is call right? Or you can just come stay with me for a while if you need a break from your life or…anything in it?"

"Uhm…do you think I could stay with you tonight? I kinda don't want to go home." Judy sighed as she leaned her head into her brother's shoulder "I'm not taking time off work for this. How am I supposed to act around him? I don't even know what to say to him anymore."

Jason chuckled and nodded as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You'll figure it out Jude, you always do."

Nick stood up blinking as they disappeared through the doors. I did that? The fox leaned into the wall as his whole chest caught on fire and puffed out from the emotion and pride he was feeling. He couldn't help it. As ridiculous and out of species as it was he wanted nothing more than to howl for everything her was worth at the moment. I DID THAT TO HER! SHE WANTS ME! RABBITS DON'T GO INTO HEAT?! SHE REALLY WANTS ME! He hadn't recognize here new scent because he wasn't biologically wired for it and it was so rare. Of course those thoughts lasted all of two seconds and he clutched his head as another thought ran through his mind.

"Ya idjit! Get that goofy grin off your mug! She ain't yours yet! If'n ya want her your gonna have to fix that mess ya made at that blasted flim flam store they opened up. Whatever ya done's makin' her think ya don't want her! Do ya want her or not?! Don't just sit there with your maw hangin' open boy do ya or not!?"

Nick cupped his paws over his head as the old buck raised his cane and screamed; "YES DAMMIT! MORE THAN ANYTHING!"

It was the first time Paw- Paw had really smiled since arrived. He nodded his head chuckling as Nick un-cringed his shoulders and stuck his paws in his lap. "Good, ya got some backbone. Your gonna need it boy. 'Cause that doe is a paw full and every doe is capable of more than what the world thinks. There's a line ya can't cross. Ya put a crack in the bond, now ya gotta fix it. Shouldn't be too hard if your as clever as she says ya are."

"She talks about me?"

"Aww for corn stalks sake boy- your all she talks about. Don't cha be getting all goofy eyed on me again or I'll whoop ya a good one. Your greener than a seedling and she tried doin' things your way. Does don't start the chasin' with rabbits, Bucks do after the bond is formed."

"How do you know she's bonded to me?"

"Oh we all knew that the first time we saw her dancin' with you."

"Dancing with me? How could you get that out of dancing?"

"That don't matter right now, it ain't important yet. A bond with a rabbit ain't the same as a mate, but its right close and only a few steps away. But ya done scared her off. And you don't wanna see what happens if a doe feels like she's getting pushed by a buck who gets too aggressive. You'll wish the only thing she rips off you with them teeth of hers is your throat." Nick snickered and Paw- paw raised a brow before he narrowed his eyes. "Ya think I'm kittin' boy? Ya got one of them new fangled phones everybody carries around? Look it up." Nick rolled his eyes and stuck the words overly aggressive buck and doe reaction in his phone as Paw- Paw sat watching him. When the tods eyes shot up wide from his screen the old male raised his brows with a knowing grin. "We still got instincts and we will use em if we get pushed. Aint so funny now is it? It don't happen too often cause most bucks know better, but you ain't a buck. We may be evolved but deep down we're all just animals."

"I've heard that before." Nick swallowed.

"Ya still want her?"

Nick nodded and clamped his jaw shut as he tried to burn the thought and images out of his brain. Paw -Paw chuckled as he leaned over on the cane that was in front of him. He sat on the couch with a twinkle in his eye after the fox's ears perk again.

"Now, ya gotta get her chasin' you again son. But if she gets afright you gotta switch gears. Don't quit chasin' her! Ya gotta start….hu. Chase her in a way that don't seem like your chasin' her or get her to start doin' it without knowing it. You're a fox, shouldn't be too hard for ya to figure out somethin'."

Nick gave him a dirty look with a frown and the old buck scowled. "Don't look at me like that boy! You still got instincts. All this modern craze has made most everyone forget how to use em or see em but they're still there. You're a fox and if'n you want her you better start actin like one and use it to your advantage. Make her come back to you. Rabbits aint the meek little mammals the world sees us as most of the time, but there are some truths to things. Ain't nothing that'll stop a rabbit cold faster than getting their own heart slammed or shocked. If she starts actin' fidgety and nervous around you to the point she ain't sayin' much and don't know how to act you got a problem. It ain't gonna be enough for ya to tell her ya want her. Words ain't gonna be enough, this is instinct no matter how you look at it."

"Instinct?" Nick asked and the old buck narrowed his eyes again.

"Boy, everybody's still got em, and your gonna have to use em to your advantage and make sure your workin' hers and yours to your advantage and not the other way around. I'll get to it in a minute. Them instincts might be the only thing that can get her back to ya cause Ju Ju is headstrong and determined."

"That's an understatement," Nick mumbled.

Paw -Paw laughed. "She's about as stubborn as they come when she gets somethin' stuck in her head so you gotta get in her head. Ya gotta show her the way, ya gotta make her curious again. It don't matter which step your at before the third step cause it's like they say; the third time's the charm. Once you get her there she's yours, before that she can change her mind if ya ain't meeting all her expectations. If she starts getting' flighty and ya wanna keep her, this is what ya have to get her to do son, then you can move again…..

Nick picked up the paper Judy had tossed in the waste basket and sat looking it over. His eyes narrowed as he shook his head with a smirk ~How to break the Bond~. He crumbled it back up and tossed it in the wastebasket before striding out the door with a smile.

My curious little kitty got a taste of her own medicine and now she's a fraidy cat? Oh No you don't rabbit… Nick sent Judy a text apologizing for not being able to go to the movies telling her he had something that he needed to take care of and that he would see her tomorrow. He had heard several officers talking as he was waiting for Judy outside the locker room. Even though he was distracted the street hustler side never let down his guard and he had overheard something that was a perfect Opportunity number three; She wants and needs to feel like she has everything under control. I'll give her exactly what she needs and get her right back where she wanted to be. He wouldn't push her right now even if Paw- Paw hadn't told him those things. He knew exactly how she felt. Nick picked up his phone as he started walking to the bus station. "Hey Clawhauser, is the Chief still there?"

Clawhauser held the phone away from his face quirking a brow in curiosity before shaking his head and sticking it back to his ear "Yeah, hang on Nick." The large cat pressed the button for the com and Bogo narrowed his eyes hearing who was calling. He better not be in some kind of trouble or be trying to cause me any or I swear I'll….

The bull answered the phone with narrowed eyes. "Wilde."

"CHIEF BOGO!"…


	9. Chapter 9

Maze Runner

Judy had never been so relieved after getting the text from Nick the night before saying he couldn't make it. But even after spending the night with her brother she was still a wreck by the time she got to the station. Clawhauser tipped over his desk with a curled brow giving her a light once over at her unusual nervousness. The rabbit kept looking around and he was sure if someone moved the right way she might jump. "Judy?" he asked in a low voice. "Are you alright?"

The doe looked back at him to find him with a worried grimace on his face and sighed before she smiled. "I'm fine Benji, I just stayed up late last night. H-have you seen Nick yet?"

Clawhauser looked at the clock and shook his head wondering why she would be asking because Nick never came to the station as early as she did, "No, but the Chief wants to talk to you anyway. Since you're here early again I guess you could see him now until Nick gets here."

"Chief wants to see me? Why?" Judy asked as her ears tilted forward. The large cat shrugged as he slid back over the top of the desk and Judy started walking up the stairs to his office. Anything to keep her mind busy was a good enough reason to stay moving as she made her way to his door. A few quick taps were met with the word 'enter' and she opened the door to see him peer at her over his glasses before he motioned to the chair and she took a seat. "You wanted to see me Sir?"

"Hopps. The mayor called last week and the governor is coming to Zootopia. There is a 'meeting' between the deligates of several different countries being held at the foreign embassy here. They are looking for a few volunteers and officers. It would take you out of duties here for the rest of the week. This would be your choice if you decide to go. I already have several officers….

It would get me out of the office? Away from Nick for a few days? "I'm in." Judy exclaimed cutting him off mid sentence.

"You don't even know what you are supposed to be doing yet." Bogo stated with a tipped brow.

"Its public relations isn't it Sir?"

"More or less, yes. I was under the assumption you didn't care for this kind of thing after the Fundraiser."

Judy nodded absently as she sat straighter, "I'll admit I'm not good at it Sir, or maybe not completely comfortable with it. All the more reason for me to try and change it."

Bogo tilted his head to the side and leaned back in his chair. What's wrong with her? She isn't even asking what she is supposed to be doing or what's expected of her. First it's Wilde and now her? Judy just kept sitting there at attention with unwavering eyes as Bogo looked her over. "Alright, take this case file to Clawhauser and he'll get you set up with Pennington. She can explain a few details to you. They will give you all the specifics once you get there. I'll let them know you will be attending and are on the way for the briefing and training required. You'll be with section B."

"Thank you Sir." Judy gave him a pristine salute and Bogo dismissed her shaking his head after she left his office. What's wrong with those two? He thought and then a thin smile crawled up his muzzle. I just got rid of both of them for almost a week! No more practical jokes, no more shenanigans, no smart mouth replies. No worrying about the two of them getting into trouble by stumbling into some nightmare of a case or getting injured or breaking something….I don't care!

Judy dropped off the folder with Clawhauser and walked to Francine's office. The doe knocked and was met with a large smile as she hopped into a massive chair and gave her a requisition form. The elephant looked her over with a quirked brow. "You volunteered? For this?" The bunny nodded and Francine giggled as she pulled out several sheets. "I guess there's a first time for everything. This is where you will be the rest of the week. They will explain everything to you about what is expected of you while you are there and Saturday is the big day. You'll get overtime for it. Good luck Judy." Judy smiled as she took the papers looking over the address and left the station heading for the bus stop. As she arrived at her destination she was greeted by several mammals who didn't have time to get personal as they explained everything. The doe sat there open mouthed in shock but bit her tongue as she looked around. I GOTTA DO WHAT!?...

Nick had been elated when he got to the station and found Judy had volunteered. He knew Bogo would ask her after he had volunteered and left her without a partner even if they were doing parking duty. The old bull hated either of them being alone as they both had a tendency to get wrapped up in something a lot easier when they were apart and ended up in more trouble alone than when they were together. He also knew that Judy was going to be extremely busy, whereas he would be going in another direction and not have to spend nearly as much time learning things as she would. The texts back and forth between the two were sparse over the next few days. He suspected it was due to several factors, but by the time Saturday arrived she was talking to him again and had made her uncertainty clear about what they were supposed to be doing. She got a grip on it. Nick thought as he walked into the large hall. Now I'm going to get it back.

He spent several hours schmoozing with the many mammals that were all over the place and letting his own style pierce through any kind of hesitation someone might have about him being there. He had arrived several hours early knowing Judy wasn't going to fare as well. There were species from all over the world that were rare to be seen in Zootopia. Rubbing elbows with mammals in high positions of political power wasn't any different than hustling. It was the time that kept making him tick his eyes to the clock because he knew Judy would wait until the last minute trying to avoid spending as much time there as possible. This whole thing was a little on the ridiculous side even for him.

A masquerade Ball to promote species awareness and cooperation to mammals from all over the world who had different views about how things worked between predator and prey and their social positions was another thing that should have been abolished a century ago. But he supposed countries not as developed as the one Zootopia sat in still needed to grow and learn too. The fact that the mayor and governor had been so friendly with him and introduced him to so many officials from Zootopia and the delegates as the first fox police officer had smoothed over the majority of any trepidation several species had around him. More than a dozen officers had come, all chatting and being friendly with the guests, but several of them were also on the lookout for problems and had ear pieces to talk to each other. By the time Judy arrived he was mingling through the crowd and had several mammals approaching him along with quite a few females following him around. As nervous as that was making him it still didn't show through his usual confident strides. The only time he nearly missed a step was when he caught sight of Judy for the first time and ducked behind a large group of mammals to avoid being seen as she made her way to meeting all the same mammals he already had a handle on.

Gods look at her. The doe was dressed on an ivory off white gown that bustled out slightly at each side of her hips accentuating her waist and tiny frame. The gown was reminiscent of something from the Victorian era and had swirls of sliver and paisley embroidered all over the front with sparkling stones set around the edges. Puffed sleeves sat just below her shoulders with another smaller one just below them and the fabric curled around her arms with her thumbs poked through gathers at the end. The doe stood into the open entry way she had entered through looking around nervously before she was being greeted by a gaggle of guests. The governor had taken to her immediately and Nick was smirking as he watched her keep trying get away from anyone who was getting a little too friendly. Her ears were set high and stiff in the odd head piece she was wearing. She had chosen not to wear a mask and elected the unusual piece that left beads and feathers dangling behind her head as she started looking around for him.

Which was all he was waiting for. She was already distracted by the many different species she had never seen before. Nick could see her trying not to twitch her nose at all the new scents and trying not to flinch at all the odd costumes and unusual masks that covered snouts or had no mouth on them at all. The first time she caught sight of him Judy froze. He was dressed in a metallic blue suit that had an unusual collar on it that sat rigid around his shoulders. A white shirt that had some kind of ruffle sat on his chest like a waterfall with a mask he was holding over his face that he removed once she had caught him in her sights. The first step she took to him a large mammal stepped in front of the fox and he was gone. Where'd he go?

Judy was turning each time she caught a glimpse of red fur and suddenly Nick understood what her grandfather had been talking about. Each time she would catch sight of him he would move with someone who had stepped in front of them and be out of her sights watching her as she searched for him again. Watching her, stalking her. It felt wrong, but at the same time it was right, there was an undescribable thrill to it. His chest was tightening each time she turned and caught him in her sights and he was fighting the tingles that were racing through his spine with each breath he took, because though he was the one moving around her, keeping her searching, she was actively hunting for him at the same time. This was a game as old as time, something forgotten and placed on a new level that had every instinct in both of them firing at the same time. The difference was; He knew it.

"Make her come to you…"

Nick waited and stood with several others around him as she turned again. The doe froze as he smiled and stepped from the little crowd he was standing in. "Hey Carrots," He smiled as she looked up and blinked.

Breathe Judy! It's just Nick! Say something! "Hey Nick." The fox smiled wider as he watched her trying to fight not stuttering. She had a guard up and it was as obvious as the color of her fur. Nick looked around and tipped his head before looking back at her and making a motion of shaking his head as he looked at her dress.

"I'm surprised they didn't dress you like the stars that are here."

Judy looked around with perked ears and a slight tilt of her eyebrows. "Are there actors here too?"

The fox chuckled as he leaned over slightly and her eyes went a little wide as he smirked at her. "I was talking about those amethyst gems you always wear on your face."

Judy rolled her eyes and giggled. Oh my Gosh he's such a corny dork. "Nick my eyes are pur…. ple." Why is he looking at me like that?...

"So Carrots, care to dance?" Nick asked snickering as she rubbed one of her arms nervously.

"Everybody will be watching Nick. Even my family is watching because this is being televised live. I only had a few days to learn some of this stuff Nick and I'm not good at it anyway."

"Then let me lead. It's what we're here for. To show all these mammals that two opposites can get along and promote species cooperation. I can dance for both of us." Judy tilted her head to one side as he chuckled. "My mother put me in formal dance classes when I was eleven. I did it for a few years every day after school for a few hours. There aren't many I didn't learn how to do and can pick up the steps for just about anything if I see it once. She was trying to keep me busy and out of trouble."

"It didn't work did it?" Judy asked with a smirk.

"No, no it did not." He laughed as he held a paw out watching Judy bite her lip nervously as she finally took it and let him lead her to the dance floor….

Somewhere in New Yak city a large group of farming rabbits was sitting around a table in an old bar watching the large screen as an old buck adjusted his glasses and leaned forward. Stu turned his head when he heard his father in law chuckling. It was the first time he hadn't been anything but a pain in the tail since they arrived or grousing about the city and all the idjits who lived in it. Judy's father turned to see the screen he was watching and his ears fell as they both watched the fox walking around the floor leaving Judy search for him. Paw Paw chuckled when the fox stopped and let her catch him. "Good boy," he mumbled as he stood up and slapped Stu on the back before he stood and ambled away leaving the younger buck staring at the screen and his daughter. Stu shook his head blinking as he watched them and looked back the direction his father in law had left to return to their room in. He wouldn't have? Would he? Did he?... Stu chuckled as he watched his daughter start dancing.

Back in the boroughs a large group of bunnies had gathered around the television watching the same show and Bonnie was cupping both paws over her mouth as her younger children all chattered about the dress and the pretty fur on the fox.

Snarlov and several officers had gathered at a balcony keeping an eye on things and chatting when the wolf perked his ears and grabbed his ear piece. "Wolford? Nine 'O' clock. Am I seeing what I think I am seeing?"

The larger wolf was stationed on the floor on one of the taller partitions next to the tables looking around as he pressed it to his ear. Wolford set his ears as they landed on the dance floor and cut through the little groups that had formed around dancers. "I think you are seeing it, I m not sure I think I believe what I am seeing either."

"What are you guys talking about?" Fangmeyer asked as she looked over the balcony. "Wilde and Hopps? They're just dancing. What's the big deal?"….

Nick led Judy to the floor and curled his arm around her with his paw resting at her waist as her other sat in his. The fox lifted both brows as she looked around nervously fighting not to openly cringe as she tried to keep a smile on her face. He had them moving as soon as the set started and was watching her as her ears and eyes kept ticking at the scenery. She was distracted by the odd laughter of hyenas and howler monkeys. Bright colors clashed in costumes and against odd fur patterns that were dyed or in fur she had never seen and she was nervous about the new scents and cameras everywhere. You gotta make her curious boy, keep her attention on you. Do something that will make her see ya again. Don't ever growl or do something real loud, that might scare her. You're still a fox and she's still a rabbit. Don't take your eyes off her. You look away and she'll see it as a sign you ain't interested.

Nick kept a light smile on his face and his eyes on her as she kept twirling her ears and looking around. He set a low rumble in his chest and had to fight not to smile anymore as her ears and eyes snapped to him. Is he doing that? He is doing that. I've never heard him do that before. How is he doing that? Why is he doing that?... Nick kept his stance and steps short as he moved so she could keep up with him as they moved around the floor. Those instincts were firing left and right as she started letting him move her and was leaning into his paws each time he turned, but that was not what had him fighting it. The fact that Judy kept moving closer in an attempt to figure out how he was making the noise had her getting closer and closer and was what was forcing him to keep his instincts in check as he kept watching her eyes and ears.

"Not many mammals know it but a rabbits ears will tell ya everything. Ya wanna fix the bond and move on you gotta get them ears down. She drops her ears and it's not just relaxin'. A rabbit putting their ears down is a sign of submission that could be for a lot of reasons. Sometimes its fear, mostly it always means they're asking for something, trust, approval, acceptance, forgiveness or love. She ain't even gonna know she does it, and once you get there, there is one more thing you gotta watch for. It ain't one of those three steps but it's just as important if she nudges you with her nose. Rabbits are affectionate mammals, most of us don't even think about doin' this kind of stuff, it's just instinct. If she does either don't make a big deal out of it cause if ya startle her and she realizes what she done she'll run off again. Ya gotta be subtle about it. She'll pick it up on a subconscious level even if it don't hit her head straight."

Judy kept getting closer as her eyes were locked with his. All the strange noises and scents, the nervousness fled as she kept trying to figure it out. How is he doing that? He's different. He even smells different. Why does he keep looking at me like that? It's like he's not looking at me…he's looking at…into me."

What Judy couldn't put her finger on was Nick was lost in her and the previous conversation with her grandfather. Her ears had almost completely fallen and he was having to tip his head to keep their eyes together because she had gotten so close to him as he spun her around again.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Don't keep being an idjit boy….(Sigh) She's the namesake of my wife, the only one of our grandkits my Judy got to meet before she passed. I'd do anything to make her happy. And you better do the same! She's special, she's different, just like the rest of them are too but don't ya ever tell no one else I said that cause it might hurt someone's feelin's. She's just the spitting image of her grandmother and I got a little kick for her. I'm bonded to her a little more than the others."

"Bonded…means love? She loves me?"

"Oh it's stronger than that for a rabbit when it's a mate or potential mate son."

Come on Carrots you're almost there…..Nick had to fight not to close his eyes as her ears finally fell limp and her head rested against his chest. He was measuring every breath and controlling the decibel of his rumble as she pressed against his chest trying to figure out how he was making the sounds she felt vibrating through his chest. Judy closed her eyes and tilted her head as Nick tried to catch sight of her again under his chin. When he felt her nose press against his throat he was sure his chest might explode as she tipped on her toes and stayed there. "Don't hold her too tight if ya got her at one of these points. Ya gotta let her come to you. Let her know you got the message but don't push her. You can fix the bond but you still gotta get in her head and past them doubts she's got now. Her heads gonna confuse her more than her instincts or her heart son. You're gonna have to be sneaky and sly about getting through to her even after you fix the bond." Nick barely brushed his nose over the top of her head and mentally slapped himself as he stepped back into the line of dancers before handing her off to another set and switching partners.

Judy was half stunned finding her paws in someone else's as she regained her senses and caught sight of Nick moving through the line just as she was with another dancer. He kept ticking his eyes back to her with a glowing smile as she swiveled and turned trying to keep him in her line of sight.

Snarlov's face went flat as he pressed his ear piece "Did she just?"

"She Just," Wolford replied as he watched Judy being passed around through the dance as Nick kept moving to different partners. The fox had half lowered lids and a smirk on his face every time they caught each other in their sights.

"What's going on?" Fangmeyer asked as Francine stepped beside her shrugging. "They're just dancing."

Snarlov stepped away from the two females shaking his head as he watched Nick duck out of the dance as Judy kept looking around searching for him again. "How the hell did he find out about how rabbits do things? They're more guarded about that kind of stuff than wolves are!"

Wolford shook his head as Nick left the dance floor and headed right to him. "Not now," he replied as Snarlov stuck his head back over the balcony. "Wilde?' he half asked and half stated as Nick ambled to the table picking up a cheese square from a tray and sticking it in his mouth.

Nick looked back to the dance floor watching as Judy kept looking through the dancers searching for him again. "Hey Fort. Tell Carrots I'll see her Monday would you."

"Ugh, sure." Nick stuck another square in his mouth and looked at the dance floor grinning again as Wolford perked both his ears when he heard him mumbling. "What was that Wilde?"

Nick looked up and shrugged "Oh Nothing. I'll see you later Fort."

Nick almost rushed from the room as the music died. He stuck his head around the corner barely peeking back into the room as Judy started searching through the crowd of dancers who were forming little social clicks again. The doe was trying to politely get around and through mammals as she kept scanning everything around her. 'Where'd he go?' she didn't say it as she kept looking, but it was all over her face. The fox had a light smile and soft eyes as he kept watching her. "I'm here Carrots. Here kitty kitty kitty," he chuckled as he turned and made for the exit feeling like he might float away if he didn't get some asphalt under his feet.

Snarlov clutched his ear "Wolford? What was he doing? What did he say before he left? Does he really know what she was doing? Is he just goofing around again?"

The larger wolf shook his head "He wasn't really doing anything. Just eating cheese and smiling. I don't think I heard him right because it doesn't make any sense. You couldn't see it from there but his tail was wrapped around her dress the whole time they were dancing. He knows. He is definitely not playing."

Francine and Trixie looked at each other frowning after seeing Judy still looking around for him. The tigress shook her head "I'll get her and tell her where he went since she's looking for him."

Snarlov shook his head and stepped in front of her "You get involved in that and I might bite you myself."

"Excuse me?" Trixie asked as she narrowed her eyes and Francine crossed her arms frowning.

"Trust me Trixie, let this go on its own. Wilde knows what he's doing and we all need to stay out of it this time."

Both females looked at each other and sighed as they shrugged. Snarlov clutched his ear piece again. "Wolford what did he say before he left?"

Wolford shook his head, "I don't think I heard him right because it doesn't make any sense. He told me to tell her he'd see her Monday and the last part if I had to guess I think he said….squeak -squeak?"

"He was eating cheese and said squeak squeak? What the hell does he think he's a mouse now?"

"Hang on Snarlov," Wolford perked his ears as Judy rushed out of the crowd to him.

"Wolford have you seen Nick?" Judy asked as she kept looking around.

"You just missed him. He said he'd see you Monday."The wolf pointed the direction he had gone in and watched her take off looking for him again. He pressed his ear piece again snickering and looked up to see Snarlov looking over the balcony at him. "Well he did say something about a curious kitty at the station and she is chasing after him….."

Francine and Fangmeyer watched her run out the door as Snarlov chuckled. "Damn he's good…"


	10. Subliminal Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mind games

Subliminal Messages

SATURDAY

Judy rushed through the open doors and out into the air turning a full one eighty "Where'd he go?"

"Hey Carrots."

She nearly jumped out of her dress as she jerked to a corner where a valet was standing in front of a smirking fox who was waiting just out of view. What am I doing? What did I come out here for? What am I supposed to say to him? "Uhm, Nick...you're leaving?"

Nick tilted his head to one side and quirked a brow. "Would you prefer I stayed for a while?"

Judy twisted her fingers and bit her lip and Nick had to fight not to grin as her ears half lowered when she looked back into the hall where the dance was still going on. "No, I don't want to keep you if you want to go home. We can't leave together anyway. It was part of the arrangement with the embassy."

Nick smirked, "Do you want to go home?"

Judy cringed and shuddered and Nick snickered. "I take it the governor isn't to your liking?" The doe scrunched her shoulders into her cheeks and scowled shaking her head and sticking out her tongue with a sour face and Nick laughed. "Here, I'll stay for a little while and you can take my car. Meet me at the corner of 17th and Vermont in forty five minutes." Nick pulled his keys out and Judy gawked at him as he raised a brow and jingled them in front of her before she narrowed her eyes.

"You're letting me drive your car? The car you make mammals wipe their feet off before they get into, the one no one is allowed to touch the seat controls in or adjust the cup holders or height positions for? You know I'd have to move all those things just to reach the petals right?"

Nick tipped his head back and forth looking off like he was thinking before he leaned lower, "I know you really want to leave. I know I can fix the seats and all the adjustments and you know you love me."

Judy gulped as she held her jaw shut. You can't say it back! You have to say it back or he will know something is wrong! "Do I know that? Yes, yes I do." She had to fight to keep her eyes on him when he smiled from ear to ear and jingled the keys before she swiped them rolling her eyes. "Wait," she shook her head and clutched each side of her dress. "I have to take this back to the costume gallery."

Nick chuckled as he shook his head. "They will come pick it up in the morning Judy. Didn't they give you a bag to put it in?"

Judy slapped a paw to her face and sighed. "You forgot it didn't you?" She groaned as he chuckled. "I'll take you by there after we meet alright?" Judy gave him a nervous glance as she looked at his keys. "Don't drive my baby like you do the cruiser."

"Har har, I won't be chasing anyone down in your baby." Judy giggled as she looked for his car.

"It's already here. They brought it up right before you came out." Nick pointed to the right where she caught sight of Nick's most precious possession.

"Are you sure this is alright?" Judy asked with a slight cringe.

"Just go have some coffee or something, or you could go drop that dress off and probably get back around the same time." Nick pointed to the keys and she bit her lip again. "I trust you with my life, why wouldn't I trust you with everything else? I do trust you Carrots."

She clutched the keys and watched him smirk before he tipped his head and was gone back into the building. Judy walked to the car looking it over almost afraid to touch it. Nick was so picky about his car it was almost an obsession and she hated to mess anything up in it knowing how he felt about the vehicle. Even though it was thirty years old every time you got into it smelled like a new car. The seats were like new, the interior didn't even have any fading from time and he was ridiculously picky about it. He had told her that he had found it in an old junk yard when he was seventeen and the majority of his free time was spent restoring and repairing it. It had taken him more than ten years to find all the parts for it and then he had it reupholstered and painted after it had been rebuilt. After sliding in behind the wheel and clutching it in a death grip she blew out a breath and shook her head. Why is he letting me drive his car?

Nick watched her pull away from the curb after she adjusted the seat, chuckling as she kept her foot on the brake. She was acting like she was afraid to drive it. In all honesty he had been surprised she had taken the keys as nervous as she was when he held them out to her. Then again, she hated dressing like she was and being the center of attention. She kept ticking her eyes back and forth between him, the keys and the car before she left. He shook his head as he walked back into the hall and made a wallflower of himself. A few mammals were greeted with his signature charm, but all in all he kept to himself just passing the time until he started walking to the exit again. The other officers were tipping their heads as he waved and said goodnight. Nick walked to the place he said he would meet her and found her nervously waiting. As soon as she saw him she jumped from the driver's seat and rushed to the passenger side. He was fighting not to laugh as he got into the car and readjusted the seat. The little bunny in the passenger side was clutching one of her ears and he almost lost his self control when he stuck his paws on the steering wheel and found damp spots where her paws had been sweating while she had been gripping it when she was driving. He didn't think anything made her that nervous anymore.

"So, how do you like my baby?" He asked as he pulled from the curb. Judy just nodded her head and smiled.

"Thank you. It's a nice car Nick. But I never want to drive it again."

Nick tipped a brow as she let out a breath, "That bad hu?"

"N-no, but I don't like getting a lot of horns honked at me and being yelled at because I'm too afraid I'm going to scratch it or get it dinged somewhere to drive fast enough. I almost didn't make it back in time from the costume gallery to meet you and I was afraid something was going to happen to it while I was changing."

Nick started laughing so hard he was in tears by the time he got Judy to her apartment. Judy rolled her eyes and was pouting in the seat with her arms crossed over her chest as he pulled to her building. "I'm sorry Carrots, but it is just a car."

"No it's not just a car. It's your car. It's your baby." Why did I just say that!

"Judy…." She turned in her seat to see him with soft eyes and a bright smile. "Thank you, for taking care of my car."

He said my name...again. Why does he keep looking at me like that? "Thank you for bringing me home Nick. I'll see you Monday."

"Hey Carrots, about Monday?" Judy turned after she had opened the door with a perked brow and ears. "Can we reschedule our movie night until Thursday? I have something I need to take care of Monday night." Nick asked as she looked off.

I can't tell him no to going or he will know something is wrong. "Sure Nick. See you later."

Nick watched her get into her building before he drove off whistling the tune that had been stuck in his head for a week. He pulled over to an open alley and shut his door before he tapped on the familiar brown van and stepped back as it swung open with Finnick screaming his signature "Whatta ya want!?" The small fox looked him over and almost fell over laughing at the costume he was still wearing. "Damn they got you all got up don't they Nick?"

"Bite me Finnick," Nick smirked as he reached into his pocket and handed the small fox a small bundle of cash. "Did you get it taken care of?"

Finnick leaned into the door nodding, "Yea, I got it. You just gotta get it there. Everything will be arranged like you want it. But I gotta ask, who kicked you in the ass?"

Nick gave him a condescending look as he waved the little bundle in front of him again. Finnick looked at it crossing his arms and grinning. The red fox sighed as he rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't say kicked me in the ass is a good use of a euphemism Finn, more literally like someone popped some sense into me. But it doesn't matter who, it just happened. I got it through my head, now I have to get it back through to hers."

"Yea, well, I'd like to meet the guy."

"How would you know if it's a guy?" Nick asked.

Finnick shook his head, "If you wouldn't listen to your own mamma there aint no other female in the world who could get it through your thick skull. Figures they'd have to go the direct route and knock you in the head." Nick grumbled as he tossed the roll to Finnick and went back to his car. "You got everything else set up?" The small fox asked and Nick smirked as he nodded.

"I had almost a week to get it done. As long as you take care of that everything is already moving for tomorrow and the rest of the week, later Finn."

The small fox shook his head as he slammed the door to his van after Nick drove off. "Bout time he got his shit together."….

Sunday

Judy had already met Francine and Trixie at the mall. The trio were doing a once over of the new place in an all out girls shopping bender. Judy had been a little surprised they had asked her to go, but after they explained the new mall had several outlet stores in it that carried sizes for different mammals she was ecstatic about it. They were all fairly close to the same age and Judy didn't have any sisters in the area, so girl time was limited when it came to things like shopping. Both the larger females were fawning over the cute outfits she kept picking up even though Judy was more than annoyed with the word. "Come on Judy, they don't make things like that for mammals our size! It's not meant to be offensive. I wish I could find clothes like that in my size." Francine complained.

"Pft," Trixie scoffed, "At least you can find things that cover you. It seems like everything they make for mammals built like me is something Gazelle would wear on stage."

Francine and Judy looked at each other and laughed as the cat tossed the clothes back over the rack frowning. "Trixie," Francine giggled, "didn't you have any sisters or your mother to take you shopping when you were younger or teach you about this stuff. You had to have some friends when you were a teenager at least?"

The feline looked back at them and stuck a paw on her hip as it jet to one side and shook her head. "Not really. I had brothers and was a tomboy. Never really fit in with the girls and my mother worked all the time. Why?"

Francine and Judy both looked at her cringing and pointed to another section. "Sweety, you've been shopping in the wrong section. Maybe for a long time." Francine bit her lip and Judy slapped a paw over her mouth as the cat let her jaw fall open and rushed to the other racks squealing. After they had all sufficiently exhausted themselves they walked to the food court and took seats ordering pretzels and drinks to rest their feet for a while. Francine tipped her head to Trixie as Judy looked around the mall. The elephant was motioning with her trunk to an open area and Judy curled her brow as she sat up straighter.

"Is that Wolford and Nick?"

"Looks like it," Trixie replied as Judy sat up and both females were grinning as Judy turned in her seat with a curled brow.

"He hates stores like this. Why would he be here on his day off?" Judy asked herself watching him and Wolford have some kind of conversation before they disappeared into an auto parts store. "Ah, that explains it," Judy huffed as she sat back sipping her drink again. "Car parts would be the only thing he would come here for."

Francine leaned over the table "I didn't think he could get parts for his car here. I thought he had to special order them because it was a classic or something."

Judy tilted forward in her seat with a furrowed brow. Francine was right. She knew that because he had complained about it a few times. She sat up as they left the store. Nick was carrying a large box half the size of his body until Wolford shook his head and took it tossing it over his shoulder before heading their way. As soon as the two males spotted the girls they were waving and walking to the food court. "What are you guys doing here?" Judy asked as Nick and Wolford came to the table.

The wolf sat the box down and motioned to it. "Wilde asked me to help him get this for his car."

Judy looked it over tipping in her chair. "A seat extension? What for?"

Nick crossed his arms, "Well for my car of course Carrots. I wanted to get something for a smaller mammal to be able to ride or drive in it comfortably and I had no idea what to get so I asked Fort to come help me."

Judy looked back at Francine and Trixie as they tilted over the table to get a better look. "Got a girl Nick?" Trixie asked and Judy turned to see him smirking as he scratched his chin and shrugged.

"I've got my eyes on one."

Judy's ears fell half back as she looked at the fox. "You have a girlfriend Nick?"

Nick leaned forward shaking his head, "No, I said I had my eyes on someone bunny. I just have high hopes she will see me. Then I won't have to return this to the store."

"Oh, well that's great Nick. I hope she does too." Judy replied with a forced smile.

Francine and Trixie glanced at each other shaking their heads as Wolford looked off in another direction. "That went right over her head didn't it?" Trixie asked quietly as Judy was saying goodbye to Wolford and Nick.

"Yep. She's as hard headed as he was being. He was looking right at her when he said it. She didn't even pay any attention to the size of the adjustor seat." Francine whispered and both females sat straight as Judy turned, waving as Nick and Wolford walked away…

"You sure this is gonna work Wilde?" Wolford asked quietly as they stepped away.

Nick kept his voice down as he kept walking forward, "I have to make her see it. Telling her isn't going to be enough."

Judy kept a smile on her face until Francine had dropped her off at her apartment about an hour later. She sighed as she walked to the elevator. It was the first time she could remember not wanting to take the stairs as she hefted the bag with the outfit she had bought in it over her shoulder. After getting to her apartment she wiped her feet and pulled her keys out unlocking her door before she shuffled inside and dropped the bag on the floor. She looked over at the picture on her table and picked it up frowning. Well that takes care of that problem. Nick will get his girl and I won't have to worry about losing him as my partner. I'll just lose him as my best friend when the lady in his life starts taking up all his time and we don't spend anymore together. That look on his face that he has all the time now. He's happy…all the time. There's no mask anymore.

Judy jerked as someone knocked on her door and shook her head as she stood from her bed. When she opened the door she tipped her head to one side as her nose curled seeing a potted flower in front of her door. "You've got a secret admirer," Bucky chortled as he stepped out into the hall. "I had to pick that up earlier to make sure someone didn't steal it while you were gone."

"Someone left this for me while I was gone?" Judy asked as she picked it up. She narrowed her eyes as she picked up the card seeing it had been opened by her nosy neighbor. "Thanks Bucky."

"No problem, hey tell me if you figure out who it is would you?"

"Sure Bucky." Judy rolled her eyes as she turned back into her apartment and closed her door. She sat it on her desk looking it over shaking her head as she opened the card. It was the oddest flower she thought she'd ever seen, even if it the purple flower was pretty. The front side of the card was nothing more than the name of the flower "Fritillaria uva-vulpis," she read before she flipped it over.

~Judy, please don't make me invisible~ Your secret admirer~

She pinned the card up to the wall in front of her desk after sitting the plant in the window sill shaking her head. How could I make someone invisible?...

Monday

Judy rushed out of the alley "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS RUN!"

"CATCH ME IF YA CAN COTTON TAIL!" Weaselton screamed as he laughed and shot off the other direction. Judy growled as she put a fire under her feet and took off.

"NICK! HEAD HIM OFF AT THE NEXT ALLEY!"

Judy turned the corner and bounced off a light pole grabbing it to swing around and throw herself and Weaselton went wide eyed screaming as she planted her feet into his back and rolled with him to a stop. "You are under arrest, you have the right to remain silent…"

"Yeah yeah floppsy copsy! I know the drill!"

Nick ran around the corner panting and collapsed to his knees. Weaselton narrowed his eyes on the fox keeping his grin under wraps as he watched the fox fall over. Judy turned giggling and shook her head. "You aren't that out of shape Nick! And you never will be if we keep having to catch him."

Nick rolled over the ground landing on his back huffing as Judy cuffed the weasel. "Who said I was trying to catch him?! You never look where you're going! I was chasing you! I HAVE TO CHASE YOU!"…

The day had been busy and Judy laid down looking at the little cards on her wall and the new flowers that had arrived the same as the day before, "Digitalis purpurea."

~Judy~ Please don't run away with my heart~ Your secret admirer~

Tuesday

Judy sat punching the buttons on the keyboard and Nick shook his head as she kept tapping the button. "Carrots, hitting it over and over again isn't going to change the fact that it is frozen." Judy groaned as she let her head fall forward. She was tired, frustrated and aggravated. The dreams she kept having were waking her through the night and she always woke up in the morning in a cold sweat feeling confused. Green eyes were always the last thing she saw before she opened her eyes and the things in the dreams were random and sparse and no matter how she tried she couldn't fit them together or make sense of them. Nick stood up sighing as he stepped to her desk and leaned over her chair. The doe had to hold her breath as his scent hit her again.

How he managed to smell like her favorite flowers that grew in the wild and also had a hint of sugar to them when you ate them she still hadn't figured out how he had done. The new tang that was laced all around him that seemed to be a stronger accent of his usual scent all the time made her want to pull her fur out or roll her eyes to the heavens and keep them closed as he leaned over her shoulder tapping her keyboard a few times and had her fighting not to lean in closer. She would just love to suffocate herself in it. It only took him a minute to get it back up and she huffed after thanking him as she stood from her desk grabbing another form to fill out. By The time she got home and drug herself through her door the last thing she wanted to deal with was her nosey neighbor knocking on her door, but there he was again.

If it had been any other time she would have been patient after Pronk had moved out because regardless of how much they fought, she knew Bucky missed him and was doing whatever he could to keep himself busy. Which was also her own largest problem trying to keep herself from being idle as she answered the door and shook her head; Another potted flower. She thanked Bucky closing the door and fell into her chair as she pulled the card out. "Dalmatian purple hybrid, more purple flowers." Judy looked at them before flipping the card over.

~Judy~The stars are the only things that can guide me to the light of my life~ Your Secret admirer~

Judy shook her head as she tacked it up on the wall and sat the plant in the window before crawling into her bed. The last thing she wanted to do was think about someone having a crush on her when she knew she was in more trouble than she wanted to admit as she closed her eyes. Finding sleep was a struggle, she wasn't sure if she wanted to find it, or to avoid it and the dreams that always came with what should have been rejuvenating, but had begun to leave her exhausted by the next morning…

Wednesday

Nick had been watching Judy through the week. It was the first time he had seen her struggling at work. She was rushing through things and distracted. Missing a lot of things she usually wouldn't think twice about and he was giving her gentle reminders of things she had forgotten to do. Pills or not he couldn't help but wonder if it was at least part of her problem. Going into heat was a regular occurrence for many mammals and one he'd had to deal with a few times, but never as strongly as it had happened when she had caused it to happen, but it was an unusual one for rabbits and something he was sure she was struggling to cope with. She had been a little more emotional than usual and snappy on several occasions. He also knew she was trying to fit something together in her subconscious as she left for the day and was still trying to keep him at arm's length. Come on Carrots, you have to see it. He thought as she left the station.

Once again when she got home Bucky handed her another potted flower…..

Rehmannia angulata-

~Judy~ I know I can trust you with my heart. The only thing that could be terrible in life is if you weren't in it~ Your Secret Admirer~

Thursday

Judy was dragging her feet by the time she got home. When Nick had called her to go to the movies she had face palmed because she had forgotten all about it. He was back to his usual sly self, but Judy was as out of sorts as a fish out of water. She still wasn't sure why she had bought the new outfit she had gotten at the mall, even more unsure of why she had decided to wear it on the night her and Nick would do their usual weekly movie together even though it had been rescheduled. But the lack of getting a good night's sleep really didn't make her question it at all or all that much as she made her way to the bus stop and rode to the theatre as usual. Nick had taken notice of her new outfit and complimented her on it, but was a little worried about her when he brought up the movie choices. He had chosen a romantic comedy. He had expected her to protest because she had a tendency to get emotional and clingy more so than if it was a scary movie and she knew he didn't care for them, but she didn't say anything at all. By the time the beginning credits were over he knew why.

The doe had nodded off and fallen asleep not even paying attention to the fact that she had leaned into his arm and Nick smiled as he lifted up and wrapped it around her. Watching her sleep was something new. The movie was forgotten as he watched her nose twitching and Nick had to fight wrapping around her tighter when she readjusted herself and gripped his shirt in one paw as she nestled into his chest. She let out a deep sigh as she inhaled his scent and Nick brushed his nose over her head before closing his own eyes. They both ended up nodding off with Nick leaned over her head. It was a mistake and he knew it as soon as something wet and cold splashed over the both of them sending Judy shooting from the seat. Nick went wide eyed and gasped as he looked up to find a large horse behind them looking mortified after he had dropped the ice cold drink he had been carrying behind them spilling it all over both of them.

Nick jerked back in his seat when he heard Judy sniffle and turned to see her looking over the new shirt and jeans she was wearing as her ears dropped. A single sob was all she managed before she ran out of the theatre and Nick didn't give a second look at the other mammals as he shot from the chair chasing after her. He managed to catch her before she escaped into the hall before the concession stands and wrapped around her as she struggled to get free. Half a second and she had wrapped her arms around him; the fox nearly froze as she nipped his neck and Judy gasped as she looked up teary eyed trying to apologize. I nipped him! I nipped him! I just asked him to groom me! "Nick I'm sorry! I'm sorry I didn't mean to!"

That is not how I meant for that to happen…he thought. Nick pulled her closer and licked the top of her head several times. The fox chuckled and curled around her as she kept sobbing. "It's Ok Carrots. My life would be pretty boring if I didn't have a crazy little bunny in it. It's just an instinct right?"

No it's not, it's not just an instinct! Judy thought as she tried not to borough into his chest any further. "Come on bunny, I'll take you home."

Judy had refused to ride in Nicks car being covered in soda, and didn't want to take the bus feeling sticky, so Nick had walked her home and watched her get into her building. He stayed outside until he saw her light come on and turned shaking his head. Two down, one to go. That is not how that should have happened. Nick pulled out his phone and dialed a number he had recently received shaking his head. "Hi, Bonnie, is Paw- Paw there?" I must have lost my mind calling him… I am definitely going crazy….

Bonnie tipped her ears and nodded before she walked to the living room and set up the call for her father on a large television screen so he could see better. "Dad?" she asked as her father pulled his glasses over his eyes smirking and motioned for her to leave the room. "You guys just got back from New Yak city. Why is he calling you?" she turned just as Nick's face popped up on the screen and rolled her eyes as Paw -Paw shuffled his arms for her to leave again.

"Git girl!" Bonnie left shaking her head and Paw-Paw listened as Nick explained everything he had done and had planned.

"I've done all this trying to get her to see me again… She's struggling with wrapping her head around it. What else can I do?"

"Ya givin' up so soon boy?" Paw -Paw asked.

"NO!" Nick screamed and flinched before he grabbed the collar of his shirt tugging at his tie nervously as he looked back at the phone embarrassed and cringing.

The old buck had a twinkle in his eyes as he watched the fox and Nick's brows and ears perked when he chuckled. "Hang up son, take your last steps, she'll call me pretty soon after what happened tonight…."

Nick hung up his phone and dialed another number holding his breath when the line picked up. "Hey Nick."

"Hey Bucky… Did you give Judy the flowers for tonight yet?"

"No way fox, she isn't back from the showers yet."

"Switch to the last set for me would you?"

"Really? What do you want me to do with all the other flowers?"

Nick laughed as he nodded "Send the others to Pronk Bucky, he's coming back next week isn't he?"

"Oh yeah, thanks for talking to him for me Nick."

"No problem. Thanks for helping me with this."

"You really gonna skip all the other flowers Nick?"

"Yeah I am. It's now or never Bucky…"

Note; Rabbits will nudge or nip each other or their 'owners' when they want attention or want to be groomed by their mate.


	11. Chapter 11

Game- Set- Match

Thursday Night after the movie

Judy rushed into her apartment and grabbed her nightshirt and a towel before rushing to the communal showers. The doe scrubbed herself and by the time she was clean was dreading going back to her apartment. She had just made a complete fool of herself and at least was grateful Nick didn't understand what she had just done. He just thought it was an instinct. He didn't understand it was one of three steps and she had already blundered through two of them. When she got back to her door she let out a heavy breath as Bucky stepped out handing her a bouquet of flowers in a large crystal vase. They were the first ones she had received that weren't purple. The large rose in the center was a vibrant yellow that looked as if it were frosted in orange. The flowers that were around it had a purple tint to them but looked more red than anything else.

"Veronica spicata and Rosa 'Judy Garland'." She read and sat them down on her desk turning the card before she pinned it to that wall with the others and sat on her bed looking them all over again. - ~Judy~ I'm here~ Please See Me~…

Nick hung up and dialed another number "Finn, I need them delivered tomorrow afternoon at the station. Can you pick them up tonight?" Finnick barked out a laugh and agreed as Nick made his way back to his car…

Judy looked over the cards and picked up her phone, "Mom, can I talk to P-Paw?"

Bonnie looked at her phone quirking a brow as she sighed and nodded, setting up another call for her father on the larger screen in the living room as he sat in the arm chair covered with an old crocheted blanket. The older buck shooed her out of the room and Bonnie stopped at the door as Stu stepped behind her. "I told you he did it Bon." Stu smiled as Bonnie looked up at him. The buck pressed his head to his wife's as she tried to peek into the room again and wrapped his arms around her. "The old fart just doesn't know when to quit."

Bonnie giggled as she wrapped around Stu. "He shouldn't have gone to the city by himself Stu. His eyes aren't that good and he can't hear all that great either. I wish I knew how he managed to sneak out of the house again. I can't believe he went. I know how much he hates the city."

"Well, you know how much he loves her. But even I am curious about how that got started." Stu sighed as he stood up straighter.

Paw Paw hung up and smacked his lips as he caught the comment. "I can hear well enough to hear you talkin'. Well come ask then dag nab it! I ain't getting' any younger and it's late. I wanna go to bed!" the old buck complained after hanging up with Judy.

Bonnie walked back from the door way shaking her head. "Dad, you really shouldn't be meddling in her affairs." She chastised.

Bonnie watched her father tilt his glasses and look at her before he turned his eyes to a beaming Stu. "I meddled in yours and look how it turned out. Are you happy my Bonnie Bunny?" he asked smirking as Stu chuckled and stuck his thumbs in his overalls.

Bonnie bent to her knees grabbing her father's paw and smiling. "You haven't called me that in years and you know I am Daddy. But he is a fox, they don't do things like we do."

Paw Paw scoffed and Stu Snickered. "It's what I see every time I look at you even if I don't call you that anymore. Ain't no different popping some sense into a tod than it is a buck." Stu laughed as Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I was with him for a few hours and popped him at least a dozen times. That boy's got a hard a head as Stu. But I knew he was the right one even after all that cause he coulda bit me, screamed or tossed me out of his place. But he was just like Stu. Sat there and listened to every word I said. Only time he raised his voice was when he said he wanted her." The old buck grunted as he stood from the chair and Bonnie handed him his cane. He shook his head as he tossed the blanket aside. "I'll tell ya like I just told her. Life is short. Ya find happiness you gotta grab it by the horns and hold on even if it means things change."…..

Judy sat on her bed for a few minutes after hanging up and stood looking at the cards all over her wall. She unpinned each one shaking her head and stuck them in her pocket to look at tomorrow in the uniform she already had laid out. She had to figure out who was sending her these things. The only way to break the bond was to bond with someone else and break all ties with the one you had bonded to. Even though she didn't have any interest in someone, maybe this was a prospect she should consider, even though the only one she wanted was...Nick. She shook off the thought and sighed. Maybe if she could figure out who it was she could start something new. She sat back on her bed recalling the conversation with her grandfather and pulled her knees into her chest as she curled her arms around her legs.

"Life is short Ju Ju. Why don't ya just tell him how ya feel? Foxes move faster than rabbits before we bond. They gotta hear you say it before they can take the next step. Be blunt about it."

"P-Paw, he isn't interested in me. He's my best friend and I don't want to lose him as my partner."

"You will never know if you don't try. Ya gotta grab happiness by the horns and hold on for all its worth as long as you can. Open your eyes Ju Ju, life is short and full of changes. Ya got someone sendin' ya flowers?" he asked.

Judy looked around moving her phone so he could see them better when it looked like he was trying to peek over her shoulder. "Yes, a secret admirer. I have no idea who they are from."

"Right pretty…" he mumbled. Judy turned her phone back when she heard him yawning… "Fox Glove flowers." She thought she heard him say before his head tipped to the side.

"P- Paw?" Judy asked. " Goodnight – P-Paw," she sighed again as she hung up and climbed onto her bed. Little did she know her grandfather opened his eyes chuckling after she hung up.

I can't lose Nick as my partner, I can't lose him as my best friend. Judy thought as she buried her head into her knees…..

Friday

Nick arrived at the department as usual looking around with a curled brow as Clawhauser looked over his desk. "Benji? Where's Carrots?" the large cat flicked his ears back and cringed as Bogo stepped to the desk and folded his arms scowling.

"She's Late."

The fox's ears dipped back as Bogo pointed. "You'll be with Fangmeyer until this is sorted out Wilde."

"Sorted out Sir?" Nick asked as he looked up at the mass of muscles.

The bull snorted and raised his head. "You are both a mess and have been for several weeks. Until I talk to Hopps and get to the bottom of this and get it sorted out it would be better if you weren't together."

"But Sir…"

"Shut it Wilde and get to work." Bogo walked back to his office grumbling.

The fox let his shoulders fall as Trixie stepped beside the desk and he looked to see Clawhauser dipping his ears low as he cast his eyes to the side. "What is it Benji?" Nick asked as Trixie cleared her throat before letting him know she was pulling the cruiser around the front for patrol. Nick nodded before he looked back to see the cheetah holding out a procedural manual.

"I overheard the girls talking Nick. I'm Sorry." Clawhauser held the book lower and Nick frowned as he shook his head when Clawhauser pointed out a particular section. "I didn't say anything, but I kind of figured it's why you two have been acting strange." Nick looked at the area he was pointing to and his face fell.

"Article 347; subsection A- Fraternization between co workers is prohibited. Due to the probability of partners and co workers being dependent on each other and responsible for others in possible life threatening situations, it puts them at higher risk to try and protect an individual they are intimate with than those they are trained to provide services for and may hinder their judgment in certain situations. Any co workers in law enforcement positions who are found to be in personal relationships will either be terminated or separated from the other co worker and transferred to another district and or partner."

"Damn, no wonder she keeps trying to avoid me." Nick shook his head turning from the desk and made his way to the larger patrol vehicle as Clawhauser watched him leave with a frown. Nick hopped into the cruiser sighing and Trixie looked him over when he pulled out his phone. "Hang on Fangs, I gotta take care of something real quick." She tipped her head nodding as he motioned to the street and she pulled from the curb. "Finn, cancel the delivery for today. It's not gonna work."

"I can't Nick! It's too late! Why ain't it gonna work?!" Finnick growled as he sat up in his seat.

"It just won't work work. I just found out if coworkers get involved they get fired or transferred to another district and partner. Are you serious? You have got to be kitting that you can't stop it!"

Finnick fell back into his seat. "Naw, I ain't kittin'. It's too late to stop it now Nick. The delivery truck already left."…

"No no no!" Judy ground her teeth as she rushed through the precinct doors. "I have never been late!" An hour! I'm more than an hour late! Bogo is going to kill me! Judy slid through the doors slipping to Clawhauser's desk trying to catch her breath and looked up to see him with a sad tilt.

"Chief said to send you to his office as soon as you got here Judy."

Judy gulped as she straightened herself out and walked up the stairs. The word 'enter' may as well have been like hearing a guillotine slam before she opened the door. As soon as the old bull's eyes landed on her his face turned to stone as he motioned to the chair. "Hopps." Judy set her ears and was at attention as Bogo looked her over shaking his head. "You're paper work this week has been lacking to say the least. I have caught more than a dozen errors in your filings, you are failing to keep the copies in order or turn them in to the correct departments and in triplicate. In the year and half you have worked here I have never seen you so unorganized. Your uniform isn't even ironed and there are bags under your eyes. Explain to me why one of my best officers is failing to perform the duties I have come to expect and seems to be falling under the grid."

Judy let her ears drop half way as he looked at her. There was no way she could tell him why she wasn't performing her duties well. The confusing dreams often turned into something that even embarrassed her thinking about them when she would wake in a cold sweat with tremors racing through her body with the vision of green eyes still locked in her mind. Bogo tipped a brow when he saw the light blush running under her eyes and into her ears as she shook her head. "I'm sorry Sir. I've just been feeling under the weather and not sleeping well."

"That's all?" He asked as he tilted his head.

Judy sat up straighter and set her ears high as she nodded "Yes Sir."

"Very well. Wilde is on patrol with Fangmeyer in lou of your absence this morning. Since you are already here you can finish out the rest of day in your office and fix all the mistakes in the paper work from this week. If you aren't feeling any better by Monday I expect you to take some time off and get yourself sorted out properly. Are we clear?"

"Yes Sir." Bogo dismissed her and Judy rushed to her office sorting through all the paper work from the week. She sat in her chair shaking her head as she looked them over. They were a mess. She couldn't believe she had been that distracted through the week as she started filling everything out and time passed in a blur as she corrected everything and found her focus again after shoving all the muddled emotions, thoughts and hormones out of her mind….

The day had nearly passed and Bogo was looking over the wall guard on the second floor as Wolford and Snarlov came through the doors. The largest wolf looked up seeing his commanding officer tip is head before he motioned with one finger to come up the stairs. Wolford tipped his ears back and Snarlov looked to see Clawhauser sighing when Bogo turned after looking down to check on his smallest officer again. The wolf walked into the open office and folded his paws behind his back at attention as Bogo looked him over. "At ease Wolford. Explain to me what is going on with Wilde and Hopps."

Wolford fought not to cinch his shoulders into his cheeks as Bogo kept glaring at him. "Have you talked to either of them Sir?"

Bogo raised a brow and nodded. "I talked to Hopps. I've been Chief for twenty years. It isn't difficult for me to spot when one of my officers is lying to me most of the time, especially her. There is no point asking Wilde because I can never tell with him. But I know she isn't sick, she is tired and distracted. And Wilde has been exactly the opposite for the last week. There isn't one t uncrossed or an i un-dotted in his paperwork. I have never seen him so 'on top' of everything. And for a couple of weeks before that he was a disaster. Why?"

Wolford swallowed and sighed as Bogo narrowed his eyes. The old bull knew the wolves in the department were the ones who dealt with body language and could spot something that was off from a mile away. The wolf bit his lip before he turned and closed the door taking a seat in front of his commander as he started to explain everything, knowing there was no point in trying to hide it or lie.

Bogo leaned back in his chair drumming his fingers when Wolford stopped talking and nodded his head. "I see."….

Judy had just finished rechecking her paper work for the second time before she left her office and started delivering it to the correct departments. For the first time in weeks she had a little bit of bounce in her step as she stopped in the bathroom before returning to her little 'office'. She washed her paws and stepped back into the hallway stopping cold at the entrance to the large lobby as the scent of clovers slammed her hard enough to make her close her eyes and imagine she was back home in a field of them behind her family's farm house. Nick must be back. She shook it off and walked back into her office to get her things so she could clock out and slapped both paws over her mouth as her ears fell. Potted flowers sat everywhere in the tiny office. All over both desks at each level and several were on the floor. It wasn't the pots that were shocking, it was what was in them. They were brimming with clovers. Someone would have had to have gone out into a field somewhere to pick them all and then planted them in the pots because they weren't grown or farmed anywhere. She stepped to the desk pulling the larger card off and turning it over.

-Trifolium medium, meadow or zigzag flower, commonly known as the purple clover.- She turned it over and fell into her chair.

~Amethyst~

Will you ever understand how….. It can't be him…. Judy continued to read, her eyes swelling over as she crumbled the paper to her chest before pulling out the cards that were still in her pocket and doing a quick search on the internet locating each one under its common name. Even Gideon had told her what night howlers were known as because rabbits had a habit of calling plants by their scientific names unless they were really common in their area. Her thoughts were bombarded with memories as she looked around at all the flower pots filled with purple clovers in their office after looking through several pages on her phone and it hit her harder than an oncoming train…

Open your eyes Ju Ju…..

"I said I had my eyes on someone bunny. I just have high hopes she will see me."

~Judy, please don't make me invisible~ Your secret admirer~

"I was chasing you! I HAVE TO CHASE YOU!"

~Judy~ Please don't run away with my heart~ Your secret admirer~

"My life would be pretty boring if I didn't have a crazy little bunny in it."

"I trust you with my life, why wouldn't I trust you with everything else?"

~Judy~ I know I can trust you with my heart. The only thing that could be terrible in life is if you weren't in it~ Your Secret Admirer~

"I'm surprised they didn't dress you like the stars that are here tonight."

"Are there actors here tonight too?"

I was talking about those amethyst gems you always wear on your face."

"Nick my eyes are pur…ple."

~Judy~The stars are the only things that can guide me to the light of my life~ Your Secret admirer~

They're all foxglove flowers, fox flowers…..

Rehmannia angulata -Chinese fox glove

Digitalis purpurea –Camelot lavender- foxglove

Fritillaria uva-vulpis- fox grape-foxgloves

Dalmation purple hybrid- fox glove

~Judy~ I'm here~ Please See Me~ Your Secret Admirer~

"I just have high hopes she will see me."

Amethyst eyes, they're all purple, all the flowers I have gotten are purple except…

Veronica spicata- red fox- foxgloves

Rosa Judy garland rose…The flowers I got yesterday were a Judy rose and red fox flowers…

Clovers are purple wildflowers…..

Clovers…..wildflowers….Wilde…flowers….he smells like that because they've been in his apartment all this time…It is him…..It's Nick… Judy clutched the paper to her chest as she stood and walked to her door again…..

Trixie Fangmeyer huffed as Nicholas Wilde shot from the car after she had parked at the Station to end their shift. The fox had been distant and distracted all day and she shook her head as she walked into the station. Nick stood at the side of Clawhauser's desk and his face fell as Judy walked out of their office when Bogo came to the security wall that kept smaller mammals from falling over the edge of the second floor. "HOPPS!" She looked up at Bogo fighting tears clutching the card that had been with the flowers and Nick looked back to Bogo as the bull shook his head and pointed when he took a step forward. "STAY PUT WILDE!"

Nicks ears dipped back when he saw Wolford standing outside of Bogo's office. The wolf almost wilted and shook his head as Judy entered the office and Bogo closed the door. Judy couldn't meet Nick's eyes as she passed him. Pennington and Fangmeyer stood to one side with Snarlov as they all waited for their replacements to clock out and Wolford joined the little group as Nick looked back to see Clawhauser deflating where he sat behind his desk. The fox's ears dipped back as he ran a paw over his face and shook his head. No one said anything as the time ticked away and minutes seemed like hours to everyone…..

Judy curled her lips as she clutched the card in her paws and shook her head "But Sir we aren't-"

"Shut your tiny mouth! I don't care! You fix this Hopps, or I will take it into my own paws and I will fix it myself. Are we clear?!"

"Yes Sir." Judy let her ears drop as she left his office and Bogo walked out to the hall watching as she walked down the stairs to Nick.

The fox wilted as she stepped in front of him and shook her head as she held the card out while she fought the tears in her eyes. All the officers who were changing shifts watched and were frowning at the sight as Nick shook his head and reached for his badge before Judy cupped her paw over his keeping him from unpinning it from his shirt. "Read it Nick." She said as he looked down and pinned his ears to his head.

"Carrots, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Please don't make me read that out loud."

"READ IT NICK," she repeated in a firmer voice as she held it out to him.

Nick shook his head and pushed it back to her as she ground her jaw and had tears streaming down her face as he sighed. "Amethyst," he said as he met her eyes with a sad smile and started reciting after he looked around. Judy watched his ears tinge as she fought not to sob. But he kept a small, even if sad smile on his face as he spoke and locked his eyes with hers….

"Will you ever understand how beautiful you are, every time I see your face I'm wishing on a star.

I dream in gray and live in blue just hoping for the day, the words I wish for you to hear is all you'll ever say.

Please tell me I'm not dreaming, that I'm not here alone, because when I am with you, I know I'm always home.

The lonely days and endless night are killing me but slow, but time fades into background noise whenever we're alone.

Don't leave me here in agony when I know I messed up bad, I'd give anything and everything to know you're anything but sad.

I'd sell my soul and stop the worlds to hang the moon for you, send every candied romance card and all the flowers into bloom.

Don't you know you're everything, the reason life has all its meaning, the ray of light that changed my life and keeps my heart forever singing?

The girl with Amethyst eyes and a heart of gold, worth more than any hustle, this shifty fox has ever sold.

The only one I'll ever love, my life of hope and brightest cutie, the one and only in my heart, the doe who bears the name of… Judy."

Clawhauser clapped both paws over his mouth trying to keep his own sobbing under control as Nick looked at the floor while several officers around the lobby gawked and held their tongues when Judy couldn't hold her sniffles anymore. He didn't even have to read it. She yanked him down by the tie, his eyes widening as she grit her teeth. "Article 347; subsection A, addendum added 2014, paragraph 17. It is at the commanding officers discretion to choose whether or not partners and work colleagues can effectively function as a team and still perform their duties once they have entered into a personal relationship. If at a later point it is proven they are no longer compatible for any reason, partnership will be terminated and the original subsection shall take precedence over their commanding officers personal choice." Judy finished and Nick looked up to the second floor seeing Bogo smirking as he folded his arms.

"You mean he's going to let us stay…together?" Nick asked as he looked back and found her ears half back again as she smiled wider. He looked at Francine shaking his head, feeling bad after having found out Higgins had been transferred for the same reason.

"We were in a relationship alright," the elephant scowled, "As in we intimately hated each other and couldn't get along no matter what we were doing. He asked to leave." Nick looked back to Judy stunned.

Judy nodded and she stuck the paper in her pocket as she kept a grip on his tie. "I LOVE YOU NICHOLAS WILDE." Nick rocked back on his heels as she slammed into his muzzle stealing his breath. The fox fell over, wrapping his arms and tail around her as she wrapped around him with her lips locked to his. His whole body got caught in euphoria when she landed on his chest as he hit his back.

She said it! She loves me!

Wolford, Snarlov, Pennington and Fangmeyer all gaped before they turned to look at Bogo while Clawhauser sat looking at them with his jaw hanging open. The old bull chuckled and narrowed his eyes as Judy hopped up leaving Nick still trying to catch his breath on the floor. "WILDE!" Nick looked up blinking with a goofy grin on his face as Judy hopped off his chest to the door. "GET YOUR BUNNY OUT OF MY PRECINCT! NOW!"

Nick looked back fighting the lightheaded feeling taking over and saw Judy standing at the doors as he mumbled grinning, "My bunny." The doe stood there with her two front teeth poking over her mouth as she bit into one of her claws before he was off the floor running after her. Clawhauser was squealing and the wolves were howling while Pennington, Fangmeyer and any other officers watching laughed. Bogo shook his head as he went back into his office smiling. ""Maybe now they can function properly again and I'll get some of my best officers back. Idiots," he said chuckling as he closed his door.

Nick chased Judy to the park across the street as Wolford Snarlov, Pennington and Fangmeyer stepped out the front doors watching them. The fox chased her around several trees before she was chasing him and eventually the doe stopped running and flipped. "It's like two reverse magnets boy, eventually she'll stop running and flip. Catch her boy and then she's yours!" Nick jumped and caught Judy. The doe was giggling as she wrapped around him and he fell on his ass after spinning her around laughing as she buroughed under his chin. "Oh look, I caught a curious kitty!"

"Nick I am not a cat!" Judy laughed as she nudged under his chin. She quirked a brow as he started rumbling. "Are you purring? You call me a kitty and you are purring!"

"I am not purring. Foxes do not purr, they rumble and they only do it with their mate."

Judy leaned back in his lap looking at him funny as she scrunched her nose. "You were doing that last week….how did you know to catch me?" Her eyes went wide as Nick looked the other direction. "You knew! How did you know!?"

"I might have had a little help from… Paw- Paw." He rubbed his head and rolled his eyes.

Judy blinked in shock before she smiled and giggled. "So you know how things work with rabbits don't you?" she asked and Nick nodded."Good when are we tying the knot?"

Nick scratched the back of his neck and shifted hoping Judy wouldn't notice his pants getting tighter. "Eh he, we uhm, foxes don't really do that until after we are married Carrots."

Judy blinked at him as she leaned away again giving him a funny look. "That's what I just asked you. Rabbits bond for life. There is only one for us and it's always been that way. I thought the vixens were the ones who asked the tods. What did you think I meant?"

Nicks face flushed as his ears set back and he pulled at his tie shaking his head as he looked away from her again."I think we may have to talk about some of the differences between foxes and rabbits still Carrots. That means something entirely different for a fox."

Judy's eyes went wide as she shifted and Nicks face turned red enough she could see it through his fur after she looked down between them and snapped her eyes back to him again. "Oh! That…" She laughed before squashing her face into his again. Wolford, Snarlov, Pennington and Fangmeyer were all cackling as they watched Judy knock him onto his back again. The doe was giggling and smothering him in kisses as he fought to talk.

"Carrots! Mmf! We're still in a public place! Mammals are watchi- Mmf." Nick's eyes rolled back as she nibbled and nipped his neck before she was holding his muzzle in her paws stealing his breath again.

"MY FOX!"

The fox whined as she pulled away grinning from ear to ear before she attacked him again. "DAMN JUD- Mmf!"


	12. Inferno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smut

Inferno

Judy opened the door bouncing as Paw-Paw stood in the doorway smiling. The doe wrapped around her grandfather after he had come inside and Nick shoved his paws in his pockets grinning as she let go and watched Stu walk in carrying a table that he sat in front of the couch. Nick looked it over quirking a brow at the odd piece of furniture as Judy fawned over it. Nick turned when he felt a light tapping on his head and turned as Paw -Paw sat his cane back down. "You gonna smack me with that thing every time we meet now?" He asked and tipped his ears forward as the old buck shrugged grinning. "Surely not. If that's the case I may just have to start calling you Pop -Pop."

Paw -Paw chuckled as he stuck the hook of his cane in Nick's shirt and pulled him down to his level as he adjusted his glasses. "Call me whatever you want son, but don't call me Shirley."

Nick laughed as he stood back up and untangled the old bucks cane from his tie. "Old Dad jokes. You really are a geezer Pop- Pop." Paw- Paw shrugged as Stu and Bonnie came back to the door. "You're leaving already?" Nick asked as Judy hugged her parents.

Paw- Paw nodded. "I hate the city. Just came to drop that off for Ju Ju. Take care of them both alright?" he asked and Nick looked to see Judy smiling before she hugged him and watched them walk out the door after Stu and Bonnie had given Nick a hug on top of a paw shake from Paw- Paw. He closed the door looking back at Judy as she ran a paw over the table and tipped his head. It was an odd piece of furniture. Carved legs that looked like they were bent at odd angles and more than half the table had carvings in it while other sections looked like they had never been touched.

Judy sat in front of it running a paw over the top and Nick scowled. "It's too short for a fox to use for anything and it's an ugly thing." Nick said and laughed as Judy threw a towel at him from the basket she had brought in folding laundry from. He tossed it back into the basket sitting on the arm of the couch watching Judy still fascinated with it.

"It's been in my family forever. It's handed down to the first born in our family when they get married and each one of us carves something personal in it before it is passed to the next generation. It was my grandmothers and my mothers. I can't believe they brought it to me before the wedding."

Nick shrugged as he stood up "They probably didn't want it to get damaged or something at the wedding. The guest list for your side of the family is over three hundred already and your mother is still inviting mammals to come. That's not to mention all our friends from work and the few family members I have coming. It's going to be a nightmare."

Judy giggled as she stood up and looked him over. "Is my shifty fox nervous? I thought you could handle anything."

"Har har" Nick teased. "After being swarmed by your sibling in what I like to call the Floficoughin'- How could I not be nervous. They almost smother me to death every time we are there."

"OK Nick. Explain the 'Floficoughin' to me hu?" Judy asked as he smirked and folded his arms as he leaned into the wall.

"Well I've heard your family call it something else, but, it is literally a flowing field of never ending cotton tails that can smother you to death and send you into a coffin if you aren't careful. I can't believe you have that many siblings."

"Speaking of siblings, Jason is coming by to see the new house and meet you in a few hours Nick. He's been out of town since before we got together in that Middle Eastern conference where they don't have any access to modern technology and doesn't know about you yet. And I did say we were good at multiplying, it wasn't just a math joke."

Nick narrowed his eyes as she looked him over from head to toe. "I know what you are thinking rabbit."

"Nick," she cooed as she walked to him with her lids half down in a seductive sway of her hips.

The fox smirked as he shook his head. "No. I already told you we don't do that until after we are married Carrots."

Judy bit her lip as Nick narrowed his eyes. The fox jumped as she bounced over the couch and started chasing him around the room. "Come on Nick! We are getting married in two weeks! We have been living together and sleeping in the same bed for a few months."

Nick laughed as he shot to the other side of the room, "Bad kitty! Stop chasing my tail!"

"NICHOLAS WILDE! I AM NOT A CAT!"

"Still might kill you Carrots." Nick smirked as she narrowed her eyes.

"Why won't you let me have you?!"

"We've had this conversation on multiple occasions Judy. It doesn't work that way for foxes."Nick stood up straighter and adjusted his tie bouncing his brow with a lecherous look on his face as Judy glowered at him. "Haven't you ever heard all good things come to those who wait? I promise I'll make it worth your while." Nick turned to leave singing the tune that had been stuck in his head for months and had become a constant earworm. "I want you to want me, I need you to need me, I'd love you to love me, I'm begging you to beg me." Judy narrowed her eyes as his tail flicked several times when he went towards the door that led into their kitchen.

~Smash~

"STOP SINGING THAT INFURIATIING SONG!" she screamed as Nick jumped from where a vase had smashed into the wall not far from him. "I swear if I hear it one more time I'm going to bite you!"

Nick turned and tilted his head with narrowed eyes and set his ears watching as Judy fumed. "Judith Laverne Hopps." As soon as he said the name her ears fell and after seeing him stick his paws on his hips with his tail slashing around agitatedly behind him she cast her eyes to the side as her face flushed. "You forgot to take your pill today didn't you?" Nick smirked and tried not to roll his eyes as she covered her face with her ears mumbling before he grabbed the broom from around the corner and did a light sweep to clean the glass into a pile. He walked to her where she had fallen onto the couch sniffling with her face still covered before swiping one of her ears away from her face and smiling as she looked up at him teary eyed. "Judy, this will pass you know. It's only two weeks. Just go take the pill."

Judy frowned at him and narrowed her eyes as she mumbled again and Nick quirked a brow as he asked her to repeat herself. "I already took it! They aren't working anymore!" Nick tilted his head and leaned in closer getting a better smell of her before he had to fight letting his eyes go wide and forced a soft smile as he bent to his knees in front of her. She wasn't lying about it, he could smell the medications and her. They hadn't spent the majority of the day together as Judy had been with her mother most of the day until Stu had come to pick Bonnie up with Paw-Paw because they were putting together the last preparations for the wedding. Nick had spent the day with Finnick watching the football game he had missed yesterday and gotten back just before the other males arrived because the girls had been rather secretive about their plans, even dragging Nick's mother into whatever they had been getting together.

"Carrots, you know I love you."

"Then why won't you explain it to me!? It's not like I don't understand the physics here Nick. You're the only one I'm ever going to be with so what difference does it make if it's now or in two weeks! Its' your fault I'm in heat anyway!"

"It's not that simple! We just don't go that far Judy. Knotting someone isn't the same as anything else. It's complicated."

"If I'm the only one you're ever going to do that with why is it complicated? You won't do anything with me and you know how much I want you! You're driving me crazy!" Judy ground her fists together as she jumped from the couch.

"If that's all I'm doing maybe I should leave!" Nick stomped the other direction before he stormed out the door slamming it as he left. Judy stood there open mouthed before she shook her head and started picking up the laundry still feeling her fur on fire and fighting a cold sweat.

Nick jumped into his car peeling out of the driveway shaking his head and drove around for a good forty five minutes before he had calmed and took a breath. He couldn't imagine what it was like for someone her age to be dealing with that for the first time and to be around the one who had caused it on a constant basis had to have her struggling. But there was an aspect to the physical side of things he hadn't been able to explain to her and was afraid to cross that bridge because if anything, it might scare her, or hurt her. He was already worried about it and trying to figure out how to explain it was eating him just as much as the fact that he wanted her just as much. He chuckled thinking about his mother having to deal with him the first time he had gone through it in high school when he was fifteen. Now he almost felt sorry for anyone who had to deal with a hormonal teenager because he imagined Judy was faring worse at her age with what he had already been dealing with with her. He bit one of his fingers shaking his head as he turned the car around. She wasn't a teenager. Maybe if he couldn't get past that one point he could do something else for her. He pulled into the driveway of the little house they had rented parking the car before he walked to the door and stopped. She was upset when he left and he had left angry so he stopped and knocked.

Judy had cleaned up the mess from the vase and had to mop the floor afterwards to make sure she got everything cleaned up so no one got any glass in their feet. She was kicking herself for letting her hormones get the better of her again and had spent some time cleaning trying to keep herself busy until she went back to the living room and started folding laundry. As angry as Nick was she didn't expect him to come back soon. They had only had a few little fights, but she had seen him get agitated at work and knew when he needed to blow off steam that it was better to leave him alone until he calmed down. She didn't bother turning when she heard the light tapping on the door. She stood there continuing to fold the laundry, now sprawled out on her family table as she looked at the clock. She had been expecting Jason anyway, even if he was more than an hour early. He was always really early or really late. Her brother 'the reporter' was well known to be punctual for meetings, but had a tendency to show up really early due to the fact that it was a habit for catching someone off guard for an interview, or he was notoriously late after having been chasing after someone.

Even if they didn't see each other all that much he was also an odd ball out like Judy and also the prankster of the lot, always pulling some kind of stunt that either had mammals rolling on the floor or wanting to throttle him. He also had another odd tendency for rabbits that often left Bonnie yanking his ears chastising him for his language. Judy was still trying to fend off the last of her onslaught and though a good laugh may have been in order, she was in no mood for company after all the harsh reality that had been flung about like razor blades. "Come in Jason," she took a deep breath as she heard the door open and softly close. A few soft footsteps fell towards her before she had gained the courage to continue. "I know we had plans to talk today, but could we reschedule this for some other time. You're here early and…."

She let out an aggravated sigh when she heard him jump over the couch, running her fingers over her forehead and rubbing her temple. The soft thump behind her indicating that he had landed directly in front of the sofa, leaving only a foot between them, and she was sure he was going to pull another one of his mindless pranks. "Jason, I am not in the mood for your gags today, please can we just reschedule for anoth….. (Gasp)."

The towel she had been folding was dropped as Nick's paws wrapped around her shoulders and his muzzle whispered the words into her ear. "I'm sorry Carrots." She struggled to keep her ears erect as his breath brushed across her face. "Can you forgive me?" She swallowed as she nodded her head, and his arms folded around her as he pulled her into a close embrace. He rocked her a few times back and forth before lowering his muzzle into her neck and brushing against her cheek. Her eyes fluttered, and the almost imperceptible moan that left her was all he needed to hear to gain the courage to lean down and capture her lips as he raised a paw to turn her head. Tongues danced in a battle that caused the need to fight for air on both parts. He had to open the sides of his muzzle to let a rumble escape as she panted and her ears pinned together as they dropped to her shoulders and slid down his arm. "I might be able to make you feel better."

The scent of her filled the air and flooded his mind as if he had never breathed in anything else. Thick and sweet, almost like the flowers from a honeysuckle bush mixed with the scent of freshly falling rain as it hit the earth. The rest of him was overtaken by the fact that her paws were now latched over his, copying every motion he made. He felt a shiver race through her as he ran his tongue up the length of her neck and his paws slid down her sides to land on her hips as she clutched the open front of her button up shirt. The thought of her having any fear towards him was doused when she tilted her head back to allow him access to her throat again as he raked his teeth over her neck. He nearly gasped when he felt her tail quiver against his groin causing a reflex that had him pressing into her. She groaned in response to his hum and her paws slid down his forearms to rest over his paws where she urged them to the front of her jeans."Please Nick."

He slid his thumbs into the top of her jeans and ran his claws through her belly; she trembled as they ruffled through her fur and scraped along her skin. Watching every expression that came over her face, savoring every little sound and motion she made, he smiled when she hopped just a little as his fingers and thumbs locked over folded fabric, he moved again in one swift twist undoing the button of her jeans, pulling them apart far enough for the zipper to drop in a fluid motion. The smile the littered her face was enough to cause another low rumble in his chest as he peppered her cheek with faint kisses.

One paw went to her throat and cradled her head as the other slipped into the tight embrace between her panties and crotch. She lunged forward as his fingers brushed over her slit, only to have him brace and steady her where she stood with her jaw in his palm and the weight of her body against his arm as she leaned forward. The strength in those legs was almost more than he could handle as he stroked her, she would jolt and nearly knock them both off their feet when he hit just the right spot, causing her to kick back in an excited reflex and simultaneously squeak as she clutched at the fur of his arms with both of her paws. So he gently removed his paw while she gasped for air and pushed her another foot towards the table. "Take them off Nick," she whispered as he placed his thumbs into the sides of her jeans and panties. He nipped at her shoulders and around her neck as he felt the jeans catch on her tail, a tail she eagerly tilted so he could yank them down until they hit the floor around her ankles. He had half the mind to remove them, but the other half of his mind reminded him of exactly how powerful those legs were, what those feet and muscles were capable of, and keeping them somewhat contained wasn't an entirely bad idea.

He brushed his claws through the fur of her thighs as they traveled back up her body and she pressed herself back against him, molding her frame to his form. The doe was grinding her tail and ass into his crotch and Nick was rumbling as he fought to maintain the swelling of tingles in his gut. The pads of his fingers pushed up under the fabric of her shirts running up her chest and over her nipples as she let her head drop back into his chest and bit her lip when he finally cupped and massaged both her breasts in his palms with another heated exchange of slapping tongues. A thrust up and he had pulled both shirts off, and she gave up trying to remove his pants when a low thunder ran through him as he tipped her forward onto a pile of towels she had been folding that sat on the table in front of them. The slight lift left just enough room for him to slip his paw between the carved wood and her thighs, allowing him access to ravage her with his fingers. The heat cascading from her was a definite catalyst, swirling around his paw like sand in a shaken globe, her moisture so dense and creamy he couldn't find what he was seeking. He moved one foot between hers and pushed her legs apart as far as the denim fabric of her jeans would allow. Fingers parted and held her lips apart as another grazed for a moment until his pad ran over the top of her clit. One tiny cringe was all it took to know he had found the right spot and he rolled it over his finger repeatedly until her breathing became labored and erratic.

Her tiny claws dug into the oak and scratched across the surface as her body began to stiffen under his strides. The paw he had on her hip moved and laced under her shoulder as she pulled her arms into her body and cupped her paws over her muzzle when she could no longer maintain the light humming she had been struggling to contain. His paw slid between her mouth and he gently pushed them away. There was a momentary confusion on her face and she looked back up at him as he slid his index finger between her front teeth separating the top from bottom and splitting her mouth open. "Breathe Carrots." A heated rush of breath and vocals rushed through her mouth, sending a small vibration through his finger before her legs locked, her toe claws snagged and caught in the carpet as her hips curled around the table. Her knees lifted as her claws dug back into the wooden tabletop, embedded enough that she could no longer pull her fingers towards her palms. Her back dipped slightly and he took one ear between his teeth, brushing his canines through the delicate skin from the base to the tip.

He continued stroking her wet folds until her eyes shot open, only to suddenly slam shut as she stiffened again as she tried to attempt to curl into herself once more. (I definitely have to remember that spot on her ears) heavy breaths left her mouth, laced with a voice in rapture. The pressure and pain from her biting into his finger that was still in her mouth keeping her breathing held nothing compared to the fact that she groaned in short bursts as she tried to catch her breath from succumbing to him a second time. Her cheeks puffed out on each exhale and each time she drew air back in she lightly sucked on his finger as her grip loosened, causing little tingles to race down his arm into his core and through his throbbing shaft. He let out a low growl and pressed into her ass cheeks, and another thrill shot through him as he felt her lips curl into a smile around that single digit as she panted through the ripples of pleasure that ebbed through her body. She whined when he removed his finger and ran his palm over her mound, then lifted her hips slightly as he removed his paw. Looking back she watched him lick his fingers clean with a hungry growl while he watched her still gasping for air.

A quick shift in her vision had him undoing his own pants while flashing her a lusty grin. She responded by raising her hips and wiggling her tail as she smiled back. Her mouth fell slightly open when his pants dropped and when she took in the sight of the bright crimson for the first time, he wasn't sure if it was the color or size that had made her look back at him with wide eyes, but it was a damn good incentive to move further. She let out a sharp cry when he grabbed her hips and slid the length of himself through her folds, nudging her soft crown with his tip. Each time he passed he would catch her clit on his hood, making her squirm and writhe under his weight. He pressed into her with nibbles and soft kisses as he passed his tongue over her shoulders and adjusted his body, gliding along the slick heat that her sheath offered to cradle and caress him in until he nudged the entrance of her sex.

"Please don't…" The words cut him through the core. Is she afraid? His heart sank and his breath caught in his chest when he looked and saw tears falling from her closed eyes. Splashing into the unfinished wood like raindrops hitting a windshield. "….wake up Judy," she whispered. And in an instant, that fleeting fear was gone as quickly as it had come. When he caught the rest of that sentence he was dumbfounded. The words that left her lips left him; Completely. Utterly. Absolutely. Undone. She's talking to herself? How many times has she dreamed of something like this? With one quick motion he unhitched her claws from wood, pulled her arms in under her, cradling her under his weight. He rubbed her cheeks with his muzzle, licked the fur of her neck, cheeks, and around her ears, and whispered; "No more dreaming for my cute little bunny. I love you Judy."

He felt her shudder and a half laugh half sob left her as he took in a deep breath, his ears pinned back and he pressed himself into her, breaking past the boundary of her threshold. He felt a slight catch and pop as the tip slipped through and she gasped. "Ahh!" The only thing he could consider akin to the sensation of the first dip into her was a comet entering the atmosphere. A gentle warmth and tingling in the beginning, followed by embracing heat that quickly turned hot enough to have him sucking air in through his teeth. Pressure and pain combined in a stunning array capable of momentarily paralyzing the fox. Something she reflected back to him as her eyes scrunched together in discomfort and bliss. Her blunt little claws had wrapped into the skin around his wrists, and she lifted her head and laid it in his open paw, nuzzling the pads of his palms and fingers. But he couldn't move any further.

"Judy, I don't think this is going to work."

"Don't stop Nick…. please."

"Together, Judy. We have to do this together if it is going to work." She wasted no time with a response as she cautiously slid herself towards him, pushing herself onto him until she had to stop a take a few deep breaths. She pulled and pushed all the towels out from under her body, tossing them to wherever they may land. Kicking her feet a few times she removed her jeans completely before she wrapped her legs around his in a mockery style of what some school girl does while flipping through a magazine on the floor. With the slight change of the angle of her hips he was near level with the table and they each rocked into each other slowly, making minor adjustments along the way, each taking measure of the other. He comforted her through a gentle struggle, while she calmed him through a burning desire. Until a few (albeit) unintentional pushes and pulls had them both questioning themselves (to late) what the ghostly clicking sensation riveting through their cores that Nick could feel pulling at his groin. "Nick?"

In no way, no shape, no how -were either of them ready for the torrent of the orgasm that slammed Judy's body as if it were a tidal wave crashing against an ocean wall of stone. Seeping and crawling into every crevice, every pore, and every space of her tiny frame. She lost her vision with a bright flash as her eyes rolled to the top of her head. Her knees locked around Nick's legs and pulled him in so far that his knot squeezed against the warmth of her folds. An urgent primal snarl was ripped from him as he fell over her and braced the table as her upper body curled into his chest and her feet twisted towards his ass. The fox was heaving in deep breaths trying to regain his own control as her core pulled and tightened around him in a harmony that left him heaving air as she screamed out his name.

By the time both had caught their breath he stopped and leaned his muzzle into hers, running his tongue along her cheek as his chest heaved against her back. She lay still, breathing rapidly, humming and smiling with each pass of his tongue though the fur on her upper body. As he lifted himself he ran his claws down her shoulders and through her back. She arched and ducked according to where his claws raked over her skin. Just as he was about to pull away, he was yanked back down to the table by his tie, slamming both his palms into the heavy oak at each side of her head. She turned and looked at him with a half lidded sultry glare before her eyes turned steely with resolve and determination. "Finish what you started fox." The look in her eyes made him swallow hard before he ran his paw over the side of her face and brushed his lips against hers, causing her eyes to falter slightly. "Judy. I'm pretty sure you're finis-"

"I'm not… until you are," she said as her eyes softened to look over his face. "This isn't a one way street. I'm not going to take part of you. I know what it all means Nick." Her eyes clouded and in them he saw a plea. A desperation that made him ache, and one he wanted to tear out of her with every atom in his body. "I gave you mine, now give me yours. Please Nick."

Has she every done anything half way? Has she ever taken more than she is willing to give? Has she ever quit? Has she ever not known what she wanted? NOPE. Why the hell are you even asking yourself that you idiot. "Damn Judy," he said as he smiled down at her, watching her eyes swell again as she nodded her head with a soft smile. He folded around her again, wrapping his fingers over the tops of each shoulder while his arms crossed her chest. She nuzzled her nose into his chin, and ground her scent into his chest with her cheeks and along his neck. "I'm not sure this is a good ide-." She turned her head and cut him off by latching onto the loose skin of his throat, sinking in just enough to feel his skin grinding between her teeth and let out a low growl towards the fox. A growl and a love bite in just the right place to make him feel every instinct in him flow with everything lodged in his heart and mind.

He hardly had time to register the fact that she knew what it meant to a fox, but it came across as clearly as if she had been one. And he returned a growl to her as he clenched himself and pumped forward as he pulled her in further. A small yelped escaped him as the shock of his knot slipping into her took away all his other senses. The tight embrace around him burned briefly and settled into a warm tingle as his sac rested against the dampness between her thighs. She tensed for just a second before her whole body relaxed. As he settled himself and steadied his breaths, he felt her rustle when he brushed his jaw over the top of her head marking her for the first time and lifted himself to see her shoulders gently roll a few times. Is she crying? Oh god did I hurt her?

"Carrots?"

"Holy fuuuck you feel good inside me!"

Judy turned her head with water logged eyes to see his jaw drop open and his eyes widen as she looked back at him with a very wide, very coy smile. "Carrots- did you just say an actual cuss word?! And refer to something sexual using it?!" His smile grew from ear to ear as he watched a deep blush run through her ears. "I didn't think you had it in you," he said with a smirk.

"Oh I've got it in me alright." She watched him as she clenched her inner muscles around the length of him, and he moaned and flexed his fingers around her shoulder. That momentary satisfaction was hindered when he began looking around the room with wide eyes. "Nick?"

"I'm dead! I crashed my car on the way back and my body is someplace on the highway, while I'm in some sort of enhanced paradise I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams, where Judy Hopps is a dirty talking Naughty bunny."

"You don't like it?"

"Are you kitting me?" he twisted her body, supporting her back and head as he turned her, moving one leg over his chest so that she was facing him without removing himself from the spade he was engulfed in. "Nick? What are you doing? Hhhhhhhhhhhhoooooh fuck!"

"THAT! That's what I'm doing! I knew I wasn't going to last ten minutes after I knotted you, and I'll be lucky if I last five with you talking like that. I have my very own Naughty bunny, and I want to see every word that comes out of those lips!"

"You like my lips? You just wait until next time and I'll show you what the rest of my mouth can do with their help," she cooed as she ran her tongue around the outside of her mouth.

"DAMN JUDY!"

The desire that swelled in him overcame any lust he had ever kindled, sinking into his muscles and bones until he felt as if it might lift him off the floor. In tandem with the emotion, he lifted her from the table, causing her to sink into him further, something that settled in both of them the way sleep would eventually overtake your senses and cause you to briefly lose track of the world. He spun them to the couch where he sat at the insistence of the pressure of her paws. He held her hips with fervor as she nearly lifted off him several times, and they both moved in sync with each other at a vigorous pace that threatened to slate them both.

Tendrils of electric pleasure shot through his chest as her nipples raked over his skin like shards of glass while her claws kept raking his ears back. The tiny nips she kept taking around his neck and the dampness of her nose washed with her breath sent shivers down his spine each time she ran her tongue along his neck. Before he had time to recover she had leaned up and grabbed one of his ears in her mouth gently pulling and sucking on his skin as her breath blew through the soft fur, sending waves of pleasure throbbing through him as he panted and fought to catch his breath. Virgin… I know she was but…Rabbit-she's a rabbit! "Damn your gonna kill me Judy!"

"Will you die happy?" The doe leaned back and he watched those powerful legs keep moving at a rhythm that was almost blinding as he watched himself sliding in and out of her gasping after she spoke again.

"YES!"

Judy let out a soft giggle as her head fell back and her paws were bracing his knees as she leaned back. Nick watched her gasping through each stride with half lidded eyes and as he ran his thumbs over her nipples he was blowing out a breath just before she shoved him to lie back on the couch. She clutched the fur and skin on his chest watching him huffing as his eyes went wide when she pushed herself back on him hard enough that he felt his sheath buckle under and felt her juices trailing down in sack between his thighs. "Judy," Nick panted as she kept rolling back and forth. "There's something you don't know about when we knot our mate the first time. It's-"

"I want you Nick. All of you. I want to feel you swelling in me. I want everything you have. Cum for me."

Damn! She's lewd too! Rabbit! She's a rabbit! "FUCK ME!" Nick cried as he tried not to dig his claws into her hips.

"I AM!" Judy leaned down and raked her teeth over his chest. Nicks claws dug into her hips and he grit his teeth looking at her as she pushed back again and started rolling her hips in a way that had their hips grinding together. "Don't stop Nick!"

The fox shook his head thrusting his hips each time she moved as his paws kept a grip on her ass moving her with just as much force. "I can't stop! It's too late!" Judy sat up still rocking and Nick's eyes went wide as she threw her head back smiling.

A rush of adrenaline filled pleasure flooded his body as his voice left him in a desperate release and he gasped for air as he fought to unlock his eyes. Another feral bliss rushed through his blood as he realized his thumbs brushed over the front of her abdomen. The sight alone was enough to make him surge forward once again. Those tiny paws that had pulled at his chest and clutched the fur hard enough that there still remained a mild ache across tender skin had stopped. They traveled slowly up the length of her thighs and then over her belly as she kept bobbing up and down, where she gently squeezed her paws around the outline of his shaft thrusting inside her. Just faint enough that he could make out the familiar shape, and as she brushed over the tip he throbbed inside her, the sensation of her fingers making him thrust again and groan in approval.

Her paws went to her chest where they wrapped together in a death grip and her eyes clamped like a vice before they shot open as he swelled to the point they could no longer move. Nick shot up and Judy turned her head just as his jaw clamped around her shoulder as he claimed her as his mate. The doe leaned into the pain as her own teeth sank into his neck muffling the scream that threatened to escape. The pain from sharp teeth only added another burst of adrenaline heightening the pleasure for both of them as Nick shot his seed into her and wrapped around Judy so hard that her own tremors were held against his chest. Each time Nick would throb inside her as he poured out more of himself the doe would alternate and squeeze him as both their voices echoed through each other's skin sending little waves of euphoria chasing the fading warmth from the afterglow back into view.

Huffing through his spasming release he raised one paw to her face, where he felt a slight tremble of her voice race through her cheeks after she had removed her teeth from his skin as he licked her cheek. An almost ghostly pressure registered that made him thrust into her again and his eyes grew wide when she clamped down around his swollen knot with enough force to tear a yelp from him as he bolted up straighter and tightened his arms around her again. "GODS DAMN!" the words left him without thought as her arms laced under his and wrapped around him in a ferocious grip that left his ribs aching as her claws sank into his shoulders, dragging through the skin of his back leaving trails of fire that were a mild distraction to the fact that her body was squeezing, pulling and tugging at him as if it were trying to vacuum out the very essence he held and was still pumping into her like a gauzier.

Her voice had seemed to leave her or she hadn't had the strength to use it when he finally felt the rush of heated breath bristled though the fur of his neck. He cradled her ears and she nudged her head into his neck as the fire slowly died into warm embers, heavy breaths began to slow and Nick was grooming her shoulder and neck as her eyes fell closed. He let a welcomed exhaustion set in as he leaned back into the couch running her ears between his fingers as they let sleep devour them, warmed by the embrace of being wrapped around each other as Nicks tail covered the parts of her body his arms weren't wrapped around…

Sleep can be your best friend. It can be a reward to labors filled with agony or elation, it can soothe you when you are sore and aching, but for others, it can be an escape. One the fox was all too familiar with and loved inviting. It wasn't that he was lazy, but when you are inconsolable, your mind has a tendency to make your dreams – comfortable. He supposed it was some form of the brain trying to reconfigure chemicals that were out of balance when you were irritable, confused, depressed, or being just downright miserable. Most of the time they didn't even need to make sense. Scattered pieces of memories from broken parts when you woke up several times a night might leave you wondering what the hell you were thinking about when you went to bed. But overall, it didn't really matter what the dream was about, it was about how it made you feel.

Most of the time he would wake up with a mild confusion that lasted briefly at the fleeting memories, but they still had an odd calming effect, and sometimes bordered on- happiness before he had found Judy in his arms. Those dreams, yeah, those were good regardless of how weird they were sometimes. The senseless ones would once in a while plague you, trying to get your mind to think and recall details that were flashes at best, and didn't make sense. But he thought that also might be a way for your brain to try and find escape from things you didn't want to deal with or concentrate on directly while awake. Some kind of involuntary distraction from the subconscious part of your own mind. On the other paw, the dreams he could remember, the dreams that were wonderful and made him the happiest, were also the ones that left him feeling lost throughout the entire next day and wishing he could forget them entirely. Always revolving around a smiling bunny he could never get his mind off of. Then again, there had been a few that had done more than just make him pine for her more.

Nick was dreaming again, and the mild rustle trying to drag him from the lovely thoughts rampaging through his addled mind kept him from stirring, wishing for nothing more than to fall back into the embrace of the stupor his own mind had created. A prison he had manifested for himself and had no desire to escape. Her scent filled his lungs with every breath he took, the warmth of her body resting against his chest and her paws sliding through his fur. Silky fingers leaving trails of tingling flesh that had him humming in contentment. Tick-tick-tick-tick. What is that noise? Tick- tick-tick-tick…

Opening his eyes he was welcomed back to the world with the realization that he was not dreaming, as he felt his paws run down the sides of her arms. Her breath washed over his chest and rushed through the rest of his body in a pleasant wave of euphoria that had his lips curling as his nose flared at her scent that still lingered in the air like a bygone perfume. Tick-tick-tick-tick. What the hell is that noise? Looking down all he could see was the top of her head, so he lifted himself slightly and placed a paw on the side of her face and looked around. Then he felt the vibration through his pads, and heard the noise again. His ears perked, and though he really had no desire to wake her, watching her draped over him like a blaket, his curiosity took hold. "Carrots?" She hummed in response as her paws spread out through his chest in a pleasant exploration.

"Are you… purring?" She raised herself up slightly. Looking at him with a tilted head and a perplexed look on her face

"Rabbits don't purr Nick. Neither do foxes remember?"

"Well what's that noise you're making?" he asked as he ran his paws down her spine, causing her back to arch slightly. With her movement he felt a light tug at his groin that pulled him internally to brace her hips and steady her from further motion as he throbbed inside her. Her eyes fluttered and she let out a small groan before she 'purred' again. "You are definitely purring Carrots." A deep blush flushed her ears and her nose twitched as she slapped both paws over her muzzle. He couldn't control the mostly one sided smirk he leveled on her. "After all that, everything we did and all those things you said, this makes you…shy?" Her eyes darted away from him for a moment before she took a breath and a small smile graced her lips.

"I didn't know I was doing that, and it's not purring, it's called chiddering."

"Sounds like purring to me Fluff."

"No. Cat's purr, and chatter, and squirrels chitter, they use their vocal cords or vibrate their air pipes to make the sound. Rabbits rub their teeth together, grinding them and the friction makes the noise."

"Uh hu, so what's so embarrassing about that?"

The ears that she had held up dropped with a deeper blush than he thought he had ever seen her don and fell behind her head as she nervously bit into and chewed on her index claw while her eyes darted around the room. He gently squeezed her shoulder to elicit a response as he deadpanned her. "Oh O-OK," she whispered as she cupped both paws in front of her. "Rabbits only do that when they are with their life mate, the one they 'bond' with, sometimes it can happen from physical pleasure, but most of it is caused from emotional.. uh." She struggled briefly trying to find the right words, and after a moment of thought, settled on the one that still didn't quite elaborate the extent of the meaning with a questioning inflection in her voice. "Fulfillment?"

The warmth of the smile that dawned over his face was quickly mirrored as he chuckled at her. "I guess I knotted and claimed the right girl then hu?"

"Yes, yes you did."

"You knew I was going to bite you didn't you?"

Judy nodded as she grinned "You wouldn't tell me what was bothering you about it, so I asked a farm boy why you were so nervous about everything, it made him pretty nervous talking about it too. I hoped you would claim me after he explained it though."

Nick laughed and shook his head. "I have a kitty who purrs when she's happy."

"Nick- why do you insist on calling me a kitty? I am a bunny."

The fox smirked and shrugged. "Judy, Bunny, Kitty, you really want to know why? It's because they all end in Y."

Judy deadpanned him and rolled her eyes but asked anyway "Why?"

"Because she is mine, that's why." Judy giggled as she shook her head and burrowed into his chest.

Nick looked at the table and cringed. "Pop-Pop is going to kill us for that."

Judy looked over at it and smiled shaking her head. "No, I already knew what I wanted carved into it, and those claw marks will be perfect for the stems on the flowers."

Just as they leaned towards each other for a kiss the sharp rap of three knocks hit the door behind them. "Turnip greens! It's my brother!" she said in a hushed voice. She looked over at the clock sitting on her side table to see the time and back to Nick, who had his ears tucked back. "How long have we been…"

"It'll be at least another ten minutes Carrots, it can take up to twenty."

Another set of knocks. "Jason! We have to reschedule for another day. I'm uh… busy… uhm something came up." She gasped and slapped her paw to her forehead as soon as the words left her mouth.

Nick was desperately trying to choke back the laughter as he mumbled a response. "It most certainly did!" She socked him in the chest causing him to fall back and cackle through the paws he had clapped around his muzzle. –Thump- "OW!"

Judy fought the urge not to grin as she attempted to scowl at him, a battle she was quickly losing as Nick kept snickering before her brothers voice rang out from behind the front door.

"Judy?! Are you alright?" The buck only heard rustling noises and what sounded like arguing voices muffled behind the door as he grabbed the handle and started to twist the knob, concern for his sister forthcoming in his mind after the last time he had seen her when she was – out of sorts.

(Nick Whispering) "Hahaha- I can't believe you said that!" (Smack) "Ow!"

"Nick stop laughing, this isn't funny!" She whispered. "Jason. Do not come in here! I swear I will KILL you!" she yelled as the knob turned.

The buck twisted the knob throwing the door open, taking two long steps into the room. "Judy- what the hell has gotten into yo-….." He froze as he saw her suddenly lift her upper body off up from behind the back of the couch, her arms covering her bare chest, followed shortly by a fox who had a tugging at his entrails that forced him to follow the same motion.

"I did." Nick straightened his back and ran his chin over the top of her head, turning to face the stunned visitor before his eyes half lidded grinning ear to ear.

Jason's ears sank, and his facial features sagged as he saw the fox wrap around his sister. His mouth fell open when his lanky arms curled around her body and her eyelids drooped as she pressed her cheek into the side of his neck and muzzle, rubbing her scent into his fur. The sound of her chiddering caused the bucks shoulders to slump as his arms went numb.

"Nick!" Judy yelled as she tried to fend off the sensation of his soft furred sheath as it nestled deeper, tickling into her folds.

The buck backed out of the room quickly and scrambled for the doorknob, and it swung back at Jason sharply after a quick tug on the handle. He turned on his heel and landed his back against the cold wood when the door slammed shut. Jason heaved in and out sharply a few times before Judy and Nick heard a slapping sound and her brother uttered a little too loudly, "Holy carrots, he's a fucking fox!"

Judy clamped her paws around Nicks muzzle "Don't you say a word. Not. One. Word. Nick!" She couldn't help but giggle as he laughed through her paws and hugged her a little tighter as she leaned into him.

Nick laughed as Judy kept trying to hold in her giggles, "I can't help it Fluff, this couldn't get any better if I had planned it….."

-Thump- "OW!" (Snicker)


	13. Follow through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beginning or end

Following Through

"Once Upon a time…..

Nick straightened his tie as his mother readjusted the flower pinned to his breast pocket. The vixen was sniffling as she ran her paws down his shoulders and Nick shook his head as she tried to cling to him again. "I'm so proud of you Nicky." The fox chuckled and blew out a nervous breath as she stood back up looking him over again and he turned as the door opened.

"Thanks Mom."

Bucky walked in grinning from ear to ear with Pronk wrapped around his arm and Nick perked his ears as they both kept flirting with their signature phrase of 'shut up'. Nick laughed as they continued their little 'fight' and Bucky pulled away from a set of teeth playfully nipping at him as Rose giggled and shook her head. "Do you boys have the rings?" she asked a little nervously seeing them both so distracted in each other.

"Oh sure," Pronk smiled as he pulled the box from his pocket watching Rose beam. "Wouldn't forget the most important part of the party." The kudu held up his paw showing off his own ring as Bucky wrapped an arm around him snickering. "Especially not when the lug there is the reason we just renewed our vows." He pointed to Nick and Rose looked at her son. The the fox shrugged as Bucky and Pronk wrapped around each other again. "We had some communication problems until Nick explained to me that we were reading each other wrong. The goof said something about looking at things from a different point of view and we both started seeing things from the other person's perspective. It only took that sly fox talking to me once to get me to talk to him, so now we just don't fight like we used to anymore. Every time one of us gets upset we stop and tell the other to shut up and sit down and talk instead of screaming."

Rose tipped her ears giving her son a very Nick like smirk as he shrugged again. "Yo Pup!" Finnick barked as he stuck his head in the door. Nick looked to see him tilt his head out to the hall and Nick rolled his eyes as he spotted a weasel dressed in a tacky plaid suit. He slid past Finnick into the hall and snatched the smaller mammal by the back of the collar dragging him into the room and shaking his head. As soon as he got him into the room Rose crossed her arms scowling and Finnick smirked as Nick held out a paw with a tipped brow and narrowed eyes.

"You try to boot – leg anything from this wedding Duke and you're going to have a very 'Big' problem." The weasel looked him over crinkling his brow and curling his lips as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver candle stick thrusting it into Nicks paw as the fox narrowed his eyes and kept his paw extended. Duke rolled his eyes and huffed before reaching into his other pocket and 'forking' over several pieces of solid silver flatware into his waiting paw. "We had a deal. You got paid for spending one night in the slammer for helping me send Carrots a message and came for the food remember?"

Duke shrugged chuckling "Can't blame a guy for tryin' copper. Once a street weasel always a street weasel." Nick pointed out the door to several passing guests and Duke caught sight of Bogo and one of Mr. Big's Polar bears and let out a sigh. "Cops and crooks in the same place. Damned if I ever thought I'd see the day." Nick tipped a brow and Weaselton shrugged. "Ya got me, food Wilde. Can I get back to it now?"

Nick gave him one last warning glance and watched as he scurried out the door back to the main area for the wedding shaking his head. "I knew it was a mistake letting him come."

Finnick laughed as he went back for the door ushering Bucky and Pronk with him. "I got someone keepin' an eye on him so ya aint gotta worry about it pup. Just take care of your business today. We 're getting everyone where they belong. See ya soon pup." Finnick gave Nick one of his own mirrored salutes leaving with a tip of his head…

Judy looked herself over in the mirror again and fidgeted in the dress as Bonnie adjusted the waist. "You look beautiful Bun Bun and everything out there is just like you wanted it." Judy turned giving her mother a worried glance as she looked around. Bonnie giggled as she shook her head. "No he doesn't know and hasn't seen anything yet. Rose is keeping him in the back room for the groom and the best mammals are already waiting for him out there." Judy chewed one side of her lip looking around and Bonnie sighed. "She isn't here yet, but she is on the way. It was a last minute request and she said it took her some time to find what you asked for but she did find it. Don't worry so much Bun Bun, it will be here one way or the other sweety."

Judy puffed her cheeks out and turned as her father rushed through the door cupping a bundle in his paws and sat it gently on the table before he turned and froze seeing his daughter. The tan buck sniffed a few times rubbing his nose and Bonnie was patting him on the back as Judy shook her head grinning and rushed to the table. Her face lit up as Fru Fru turned and stood next to the large flower Stu had set her down with. "Judy! I got it. Do you have your bouquet ready?" Judy tipped her head back as Bonnie picked up the floral arrangement and they set to work placing the large flower in the center nestled in around all the other smaller petals….

Nick readjusted his Jacket before he stuck his arm out and his mother wrapped around it as they left the room. He had been given specific instructions and a basic run through of a few of the events about to occur because apparently rabbit weddings were a little different than a traditional ceremony. But the secrecy the ladies had kept about some of the things had him a little nervous as they walked down the hall to the main area where he would be joining his best mammals for them to exchange their vows. That and the fact that this was probably the largest social gathering he had ever been to with the exception of a Gazelle concert he had attended with Judy.

The crowds and being around a lot of mammals didn't make him nervous and never had. Living in Zootopia you got used to that, it was the fact that every eye in the place would be on him. Even as the first fox cop he had gotten attention here and there, but being the center of it was a level no fox opened welcomingly. It was just-an unusual prospect. That and the fact that there were a hoard of little bunnies in Judy's family that would try to suffocate him every time he had come to the boroughs with Judy had him on guard anyway. He half expected to be tackled the moment he entered the area he knew everyone was waiting in. As soon as him and his mother walked through the door every eye was on him and the slick Nick everyone knew took over as he beamed a confident grin and strolled to the alter like nothing in the world could touch him, just as everyone expected.

It was the scent of flowers that had struck him as soon as he came into the room. And he knew why Judy had been so secretive about everything with his first few steps, but kept it wrapped in a broader smile as he tried not to look all over the large room. Red fox glove flowers and Judy roses were all over every table and hanging at every level at the tiers for different sizes of mammals. Nick had only been to a few weddings in his life, but the way this was set up was unusual and the place was enormous. Easily accommodating the various sizes of mammals in attendance all the way to the largest of species. There were no plans to leave for another destination for a reception as the place was set up for it already. Instead of rows of pews, different levels already had tables where mammals sat watching and had an easy view at each level. Some mammals had opted to sit with other sections, the smaller of the species joining the larger at their designed tables. Clawhauser had taken up a seat next to Francine Pennington on the tallest of the piers and Snarlov sat with Trixie Fangmeyer at the same table. Each of his closest friends had sent a warm smile as he took a stand at the front of everyone in front of the large crowd.

Mr. Big sat on a table with Kevin surrounded by a few other polar bears and Nick watched as Bonnie dropped off Fru Fru leaving the little female shrew to sit with her father as he handed her baby Judy with a large smile. It was another shock that Judy had managed to get everyone to come from both sides of the fray, all of them agreeing it would be neutral ground with nothing outside the wedding or it's bride and groom were to be discussed through the event by any party attending. Nicks mother left him after a light hug and sat with Bonnie in the front section of tables, Nick taking note of how well behaved all the smaller bunnies were as they sat at a table meant for smaller and younger mammals. He looked behind himself smiling as Bogo folded his arms over his chest and quirked a brow with a light huff before the old bull smiled. Nick had been a little surprised the bull had agreed to be one of his best mammals after asking him, because in general Bogo wasn't the personal type. But after everything that had happened he was at the top of the list along with Finnick and Wolford. Nick turned as the music started and Bogo gave Wolford a stern glance as he chuckled. The reason for the small outburst had Finnick looking back grinning as well and Bogo rolled his eyes chuckling as Wolford stepped back a little, keeping himself from getting hit in the legs anymore by Nicks wagging tail.

Nick had taken notice of a particular old buck and Jason sitting at a table just to the side from Bonnie and Stu. He was leaning into his cane with a bright smile as he turned to the door when the music started. The fox's eyes flew to the doors as they were opened and his breath caught as Judy was marched in with Stu holding her arm, trying to contain his own emotions. The doe on his arm was glowing as they locked eyes. She wore a light purple gown that made his smile grow after seeing the color and the wreath of tiny fairy foxglove flowers around her head had his teeth poking through as Stu stopped in front of them brushing his daughters cheek before giving her dainty paw to Nick. A bright purple ribbon sat under her breast that matched the dark color of the flowers and Nick caught his mothers jaw falling open seeing the shoulderless dress and the claim he had made on her just a little over two weeks ago. Nick had broken every tradition in fox culture being mated before the wedding, but, a fox and a rabbit as cops, getting married? What else was traditional about them anyway? Judy had chosen the dress long before that point and obviously didn't have a problem showing it off.

Nick helped Judy take a step up locking eyes with her as she stood in front of him and Stu stepped to the table to sit with Bonnie. Bonnie rolled her eyes but kept a smile on her face as she rubbed her husband's back and Paw- Paw was chuckling as Jason shook his head. "Here comes the water works!"

Judy handed off her bouquet to one of her sisters. She had a little group of bridesmaids bunnies behind her and had told Nick there were so many who asked she didn't have room to ask her friends because she didn't want it to become too crowded. Neither of them were paying much attention to anything but each other and the minister chuckled when she had to prod both of them to say their 'I do's'. Judy had chosen some simple gold bands for their rings and Nicks chest puffed out as they turned to the crowd after the nuptials. They weren't formally introduced just yet as there was one more part of the ceremony that hadn't happened yet.

The fox was rumbling as he kissed her again and watched as she was whisked off to an open waiting floor. She had explained to him it was the last part of their nuptials but hadn't gone into details with it as Paw -Paw took her paw and led her to the dance floor and Nick was led there by his mother. Just another unusual thing about rabbit weddings he thought as his mother stepped back into the crowd that had left the tables and gathered around the floor as Stu stepped to a podium. The tan buck cleared his throat as Judy stood with Paw - Paw and Nick tipped his ears as he looked between them .

Stu cleared his throat and asked for everyone's attention. "Because we have so many different species here, and this is a rabbit custom I have been asked to explain things to everyone. It is tradition in most cultures of Zootopia that a father will give away his daughter at a wedding, but in rabbit culture it is a tradition that the doe chooses who will give her away for the first dance with her chosen mate. With that honor the one she chooses gets to select the music for their first dance and Jonathon Richard Hustler whom everyone knows as Paw- Paw, Judy's grandfather from her mother's side has chosen the song Life's a dance by John Michael Montgomery.

Nick smirked and shook his head at Paw Paw "You're name is Hustler? That explains a lot." The old buck smirked and shrugged as he gave Nick Judy's paw. "Figures you would choose an old country song you old country fogie."

Paw-Paw chuckled as he tapped Nick on the head with his cane. "Just listen to the words son, if ya can, and you'll understand why I picked it. Then I won't have to pop some sense into you again.

"OK, 'Pop-Pop'." The old buck chuckled and Nick watched as he stepped off the floor and leaned into his cane with a smirk worthy of any fox he had ever met before his attention was pulled back to Stu.

Stu looked through the crowd fighting his sniffles as he started again, "The Cotton Borough Watlz is a tradition in rabbit culture to be the first dance for a newlywed couple and has been for hundreds of years as the last part of their nuptuals."

Nick looked to Judy and watched as her eyes glittered trying to keep his jaw from falling open as she curled into the front of his chest looking up at him. "It is a significant sign to anyone watching how well their lives and choice of mate will be when you see how compatible they are depending on the reactions of the doe to her partner. If she can keep her eyes closed through the most difficult steps of the dance it shows she has put her complete trust in her partner to guide her through the most difficult parts of their life together. If the doe can stay on her toes through the entirety of the dance she has placed all her faith correctly that her partner will help her as they balance each other through the dance of life. She will open her eyes through the lift knowing she can be held safely at the most difficult places in their lives together and still meet the eyes of the one she loves and be there for him at the times he may need to know she will do the same for him. She will spin to her knees and bow to him to let him know she can bend to anything he may need help with while letting him know she will support him while offering him just as much as they travel together. If she can keep a smile on her face through the most difficult of times through the steps she is letting him know he will always have the same trust, love, support and faith he can give her as they start their lives together and they will always end up back in each other's arms, no matter the good or bad times they may face together as they begin the dance of their lives together." Stu stepped from the podium he had been announcing from as Bonnie wrapped around him while he was brushing away his tears.

Nick looked to see every eye on them before he caught sight of Paw- Paw with an all knowing smirk on his face as he adjusted his glasses watching as the music started. Paw- Paws voice rang through his head as he turned back to Judy. That don't matter right now, it ain't important yet. For the first time since he was nine Nick felt his tongue swell as emotions he had fought to hide from the world crashed into him when Judy tipped to her toes and closed her eyes smiling as they held each other's paws. Every word of that old country song stuck in his head as he lost his emotional control while watching the doe he was holding stay on her toes, keep her eyes closed as she spun out and fell into his arms with each dip and turn, and watched him with a smile as he lifted and spun her before she bowed in front of him just as she had the first time they had danced together.

Nick was not a young mammal having lived the way he had and gone through the experiences of his life. Being a hustler and a fox meant he knew the back ways of the world more than many others, but he was just as lost about love as Judy had been when it started. He was a sly fox who knew the ways of the world and how the darkest parts of it worked. And though he had been leading Judy using the same clever ways he used as a hustler with the flowers and getting her to chase him again, there had been a sly old buck he was following the advice of and learning from as the words to the song sung out in every part of what had gotten them to this point. He had been terrified to ask her, to tell her how he felt because of the differences, but if he had never tried he would have never known and regretted it forever. He was leading, and following. When he thought he may not be able to get through to her seeing her struggle he had picked himself up and called for help, listening to the advice before he really started talking to her and had taken a chance doing it all. As the music stopped he had her right back where she wanted to be, back in his arms, wrapped around her as his tail curled around her tiny frame, tears rushing down both their faces as the crowd cheered while they were locked in a passionate kiss and it was finally announced to the crowd, "MAY I INTRODUCE TO YOU MR. AND MRS. WILDE- HOPPS."

Judy pulled back smiling and Nicks chest was bouncing as he laughed through his own tears while he brushed hers away. "I wouldn't change how it all happened anyway."

Judy sniffled as she clasped one of his wrists and leaned into his open palm. "Me neither, but it's not over yet Slick." Nick perked his ears as Bonnie came back to the floor and handed Judy her bouquet. The fox smiled as he stepped back and the crowd had gathered waiting for her to toss it but he quirked a brow as she removed the largest flower from the center and kept it in one paw as she closed her eyes and threw it over her shoulder. He had been so enthralled watching her walking down the aisle he hadn't even noticed it didn't match the others in her bouquet, but he got caught in a heated laugh as the flowers landed in the open paws of a stunned Clawhauser.

Francine shook her head as the cat looked up at her with a heavy blush running through his cheeks. "Don't worry my furry fluff ball, we're like cats and we don't usually get married either. But it's nice we don't have to keep it a secret anymore." She brushed her trunk under his chin eliciting a purr and Judy giggled as he swatted her trunk away. "Franny! Not in front of everybody!"

Fangmeyer rolled her eyes giggling and Snarlov shook his head when the elephant nearly lifted Clawhauser off the floor as he turned redder. "Shame it's not a secret anymore, now he won't be able to keep anyone else's secrets about it either."

"Doesn't need to be a secret if the Chief doesn't see a problem with it anymore. So long as the partners can still work together. He says Wilde has never been better at getting things done right now and Judy is back to her old self again so it just depends on the partners." Snarlov pointed and Fangmeyer looked to see the old bull taking a seat at a table smiling at a red furred vixen. Nicks mother scrunched her nose up grinning as the bull leaned in.

Nick narrowed his eyes as Judy stood beside him twisting the flower in her paw. "That better not happen, that really can't happen." He stated as he watched Bogo lean over talking to his mother.

Rose lifted her brow with a smirk "So Mrs. Wilde, when they are finished on the floor would you mind dancing with this old bull?"

Rose looked him over and giggled after she saw Nick's jaw fall, "If my son can become a cop and marry a bunny? Why not?"

Judy laughed as she pulled at Nicks sleeve. "Nick," he pulled his eyes away from the sight snapping his jaw shut as she handed him the flower.

The fox smirked as he took it looking around seeing everyone still watching them and chuckled. "Another rabbit thing? I thought the flowers were my thing."

"Oh they are," Judy cooed as she pointed to it and Nick looked to find a small card attached to the side.

"Digitalis Illumination foxglove flower." He read and smirked as he looked it over. It was a bright orangish yellow color that looked similar to the colors of the Judy rose with an almost neon pink to the outside of the petals. He looked back to see Judy biting her lip and a single claw as he smirked and shook his head when he flipped the card over. Nick blinked as the word on the other side sent his tail puffing and the fur around his neck bristled as his eyes shot back to her. "H-hybrid… J-Judy are you…." A single nod when she scrunched up her nose had all the moisture on his tongue swept away as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Several females in the crowd gasped while the males laughed when the fox fainted.

"I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!" Rose screeched as she shot from her chair bouncing. Wolford and Snarlov marched to the floor helping a groggy Nick off the floor as several of the guests still giggled or laughed. Nick found his senses and grabbed Judy pulling her onto his lap after he had been sat in a chair next to Paw-Paw. The fox was rolling his head over her as she laughed and he shook his head as he pulled away looking her over, "I'm going to be a dad!? I don't know anything about kits…"

His head shot to the side as Finnick barked a laugh and Paw-Paw slapped him on the back "You'll learn as you go son."

"You all knew?!"Nick asked slack jawed as he looked around seeing Bucky and Pronk snickering as they curled into each other as Francine, Trixie, Wolford, Snarlov and Clawhauser laughed. Mr. Big and Fru Fru were snickering in Kevin's paw and nodding while Bonnie and Jason bit their smiles as Stu sobbed again. He looked to see his mother beaming as Bogo chuckled.

"Well you're mother didn't know but everyone else did. I had to ask for maternity leave. Why do you think I was using so much scent neutralizer? I didn't want you to smell it. Rabbits are only pregnant for a month, but since its half fox it will probably be closer to two months. I had to have the dress altered a little and Fru Fru helped me get the flower because they are a little hard to find." Judy squeaked as Nick pulled her onto his lap and buried his muzzle into her neck rumbling louder as he curled around her while she nudged under his chin. She was giggling as she was swallowed in his arms and tail on his lap. "I love you Judy."

The rest of the wedding went as they all do. A few minor disasters were of course in order and Nick bit his tongue after they cut the cake and he smeared it all over her face. She was glaring at him until he leaned forward and licked it off her face. The doe had gone wide eyed but closed her eyes and leaned into him as if she were dreaming. Her ears turned a bright cherry when Nick chuckled after she started chiddering (rabbit purring when they grind their teeth together) as everyone in the crowd chuckled. After several hours spending time with their family and friends, dancing and talking Judy had been the one laughing as her younger siblings drug Nick to the floor burying him in a pile of fluffy cotton tails."OOMF! CARROTS ~ AIR!" She was more than satisfied as all their friends and family were snickering at him this time.

A large procession had followed them to the car throwing rice and flowers and Nick gave it a good once over as he opened the door for Judy to let her into the passenger side. The fox had told everyone if they touched his baby he would personally run them over with it or find a tank large enough to go after anyone too large to hit it with. He had been adamant that anyone who had done something to his car that would leave a permanent mark on it would be sorry. Judy leaned into his side as he started the car as they shared another kiss. She leaned up in the seat as Nick stuck his paw on her belly and pulled his shades over his eyes feeling like he might be dreaming. They drove away with cans clinking behind them as all their friends and family waved them to their honeymoon.

"And they all lived happily ever after….."

"NOOO! Dat's not da end Pop Pop! Ya gotsa tell da rest of id too!"

The old buck smirked as he adjusted his glasses "Oh? Did I forget something ?" The kit on his lap narrowed her eyes and he chuckled as he nodded. "Alright, about two months later they brought me the cutest little Amethyst Rose I ever saw. Her fur is just as red as her fathers and her eyes are just as purple as her mothers. "

"Dats me!" the little girl giggled as he readjusted her on his lap and smirked nodding his head.

"Yes. That's what your Daddy named you. I gave your Daddy some advice, and he gave my little bundle of Ju Ju a little bundle too. Ya can't get anything outta this life if ya don't give somethin' first. I got my first great grand kit by helping your Daddy and Mommy find each other. She has a long tail and ears like both her parents and is the most precious 'Gem' I ever saw."

"Dats wat Gramma Rose an unkle Fin calls me too!"

"I bet they do my little gem, even if your Daddy calls you his little flower. You are the jewel of everyone's eye."

Judy came in from the kitchen after talking to her mother and father as Nick followed behind her chuckling. "Amy, are you ready to go home? We need to go back to Zootopia before it gets too late."

"Aww Mawma. Pop- Pop was tellin' da stowy aboud me!"

Judy giggled as she picked up her daughter and Paw Paw yawned as Nick ran a paw over her head chuckling. "Yes, you've heard it a million times and he can tell you again next weekend when we come back, you start preschool tomorrow and it's a big day, but he is tired, and so are you little one."

Amy looked to see her grandfather nodding off in the chair and Nick covered him with a blanket and kicked the feet on the old recliner up sitting his cane where he could easily reach it. Judy walked to the door as Amy tilted her head into her shoulder yawning "K mawma, but I's not tiwed." She yawned again and Judy giggled as she hugged Bonnie and Stu.

"We'll be back next weekend. Do you really let him sleep in that chair like that?" Judy asked as Nick stepped beside her.

Stu Shrugged as Bonnie sighed "He's stubborn."

Nick chuckled as he flipped the light off and watched them all heading to the door as he peeked back into the room. He was the only one there with night vision and easily saw the old male smirk as he pulled the blanket up a little higher. Sly old buck. Nick smirked too shaking his head, "Goodnight, Pop - Pop….."

~The end~


End file.
